A Fairy Tale?
by galaxy18hime
Summary: Natsuki is hired as a bodyguard for the beautiful and popular heiress, Shizuru. In order to protect the princess from her vicious stalker, Natsuki must play the part of a prince and dress as a man. Some say that fairy tales end in happily ever after, but there is always a price to be paid... AU, OOC. All Mai Hime/Otome characters are the property of sunrise.
1. Sleeping Beauty or Snow White?

_Sleeping Beauty or Snow White? _

Shining black hair flashed in the mirror as I struggled to get the soft mass up into its place under a bald cap. Green eyes stared in annoyance back at my own and then moved to the top of my head, following the movement of my hands as they fought the losing battle with my hair.

"Why are you trying to hide your wonderful hair," you might ask? Well, I am so glad you asked. Sit down people, because you're going to get a blow by blow account as to the origins of Natsuki Kuga, bodyguard extraordinaire.

I work for a large security firm that specializes in protecting high profile people. We mostly are hired as bodyguards while foreign celebrities are in Japan. I'm usually hired out to protect English speakers, seeing as I speak English better than I do Japanese. You see, I am half Japanese, half American. I spent most of my life in Japan until I was ten. My mother died, accidentally driving her car off a cliff and into the ocean while going to work one morning. My Japanese relatives couldn't afford to keep a ten year old so I was forced to move to the states to live with my father, who was hardly in my life due to him being a higher up in an American motorcycle company. He half-heartedly welcomed me, while my American aunts and uncles opened their doors and their hearts.

So, I spent my high school years in the States, living in the Washington D.C. area with my rather enthusiastic aunts. They got me interested in the criminal justice field; one of them is a CIA agent and the other is a criminal profiler for the FBI. Needless to say, it was great fun being psychoanalyzed by one and getting the crap beaten out of me during training sessions with the other. I graduated high school early, and began an undergraduate degree in criminology and psychology. As it turns out, I found that I was much better at actually doing the stuff they talk about in class. After a brief stint as an intern under my aunt at the FBI during my junior year, they practically begged me to work an under-cover recon expert, completely ignoring the fact that I was only twenty and had yet to finish my schooling.

Let's just say that my stint at the FBI was ridiculously short. I was let go due to my inability to take orders and follow protocol. Apparently I have a lone wolf complex. As my aunt would say, "I coulda told ya that one, even without the fancy evaluation!" After brushing up on my Japanese, I decided to come back to the Land of the Rising Sun. I found my way into my current job, which was kind of ideal for misfits like me. Reito Kanzaki, my boss and owner of the firm, loves having young, capable people working for him. The man is only 24, three years my senior, and runs the premier security agency in Japan. He has dubbed the agency ARTEMIS, due to the fact that almost all of his field agents arefemale. It suited me just fine, Artemis happens to be my favorite Greek goddess.

Anywho, back to my endless battle with my hair. This job calls on me to be a boy for its duration and so far it's starting off on something of a wrong foot. I have spent the last half hour on my wig, and all of my efforts have only resulted in tired arms and increasingly tangled hair.

A sound between a growl and a huff escaped my lips as I resigned myself to asking for help. I picked up my cell phone from its place on the vanity and dialed a number.

_Please be Aoi, Please be Aoi_, I thought in desperation at the ringing phone. I don't think I could've handled Chie at the moment.

_"Hi there, sergeant sexiness," _purred a voice over the line. _Crap._

"Hey Chie, can you hand me over to Aoi, please?" My voice was lower than its usual husk as I fought with my embarrassment and annoyance with the obnoxious woman. Really, Chie was great to hang out with when she wasn't horny or drunk. Then again, she was almost always horny, and when drunk, anyone female should run for the hills; she was truly unstoppable in that state.

Nao Zhang, the fourth member of my intrepid team, is just as bad_. _ She however loves to poke other peoples' buttons to see how far she could get before they blow up at her. The resident pain in the ass is currently working on finding information in regards to our current case. While her mouth gets her into trouble with clients, Reito keeps her on because of her excellent street smarts and her uncanny ability to read people.

"_I can certainly give you a-" _There was muffled thump and an "_Ow_". The other line emitted a clatter and a thunk as the cell was grabbed out of the dark haired woman's hand. It was probably thrown on a desk or chair as Chie and Aoi fought for positioning over the phone.

I chuckled then sighed, imagining the little wrestling match going on between Chie and her chocolate haired, blue eyed girlfriend. I waited out the prolonged match with growing agitation, hoping that it wouldn't turn into an impromptu make-out session. When I heard gasps and smacking noises, I had enough.

_Should've known... _"OI! There's somebody here, remember?" Shuffling and rustling could be heard, broken by feminine murmuring. Then a breathy "_Hello, Nastuki, what can I do for you?" _Spoke from the other end. I rolled my eyes.

_Finally - jeez_ _you_ _two_.

"Aoi, I need you to help with my disguise, I can't get my hair into the wig." I glared at the offending accessory. As if that would make it behave.

"_Kay, I'll be over shortly. You're at the safehouse, right?" _

"Yeah. Thanks Aoi." I hung up before I heard a response. Sure, it was rude, but so is attempting to make out with your girlfriend while she's on the phone with someone else.

While waiting for the brunette, I fussed over my outfit for the night. It was definitely cool in my humble opinion. The tight black leather pants were cut to fit over the backs of shoes, or in my case, black leather boots; they also fit snuggly around my butt and were loose enough to be comfy. A white collared, buttoned up shirt with rolled up sleeves fit my frame well, showing off strong, lean arms and hopefully giving the illusion of a long, lithe and fit torso. This was the hardest part of the disguise, as I had to bind my breasts and put light padding over the wrapping. I had thrown on the padding after realizing that my breasts were still showing a little. The padding created a nice, flat, well formed "male" chest. A tight fitting black vest, again leather, further hid my curves (not that there are much of those to begin with) and added a nice place to fit some throwing knives. The outfit was topped off with various bits of jewelry, my favorite being an amulet with the image of a howling wolf etched in it.

As I peered in my vanity's mirror again I was extremely happy with my look; it conveyed someone who was confident with their appearance, but wasn't cocky by any means. Other than the fact that I looked like I was partially bald, I looked like a handsome young man looking for some fun at a club. Which reminded me...

"Sonova..." I growled under my breath. Aoi was supposed to be here by now. Honestly, I really hoped that Chie hadn't followed her girlfriend over. The woman was like a dog in heat sometimes. I had a sudden image of a dog with Chie's dark grey hair humping poor Aoi's leg as she attempted to walk down the street. I doubled over laughing, forgetting my previous anger, the bald cap falling to floor with a soft "plop" causing what little hair that was in it to cascade around my back and shoulders.

Straightening with a small chuckle, I cast my eyes around my safehouse. It was a standard studio apartment with a small bathroom attached. It was leased for five months under my alias, Misaki Kruger, and was conveniently located relatively close to a small Fuuka City Police Department building. Chie and Aoi were coming from there; it really should only be a two minute walk to get to my new home away from home. While sparsely decorated and furnished the studio had a nice view of the city and with its white washed walls and light maple wood floor, it felt open and welcoming.

My searching eyes finally fell on their prey. Moving over to the unmade bed and sitting down hard, I began sifting through the file that Chie and Aoi made for me. My mission was to protect a waitress who worked at the local night club, _The HiMe Star_. Her name was Shizuru Fujino. She's a true blue princess from one of the wealthiest families in Japan. The Fujinos are highly successful in the rare stones business. Why she was working as a waitress in a night club was anyone's guess. The youngest Fujino is a fourth year student at Fuuka University, working on a fairly prestigious psychology program. At the age of twenty-two, the young woman was a 4.0 student and was also already beginning her master's program. Because of her relative youth and charisma, she was often invited on morning talk shows to talk about her father's burgeoning political career. Young Miss Fujino was a media darling.

Shizuru was extremely popular while in high school and that carried into her college career. The woman actually had an official fan club _before _she was asked to be interviewed for her first show. They even had a small office on the college campus - I know, I looked. Honestly, I could never understand how a seemingly normal student could have so many followers. I mean her fan club's website had like an average of 200 hits per day, while the club itself had almost a hundred regular members. The club even had a hierarchy! Naturally, the team had all the club member's names and addresses and Nao - who had a number of street contacts - was currently snooping around the club's office to find anything suspicious.

So when she wound up on TV, her star only rose. OK, the heiress was completely meant for TV. She was ridiculously beautiful, with lightly golden skin that covered a curvy, slim, athletic body, thick wavy honey brown hair that framed a striking face, and her most amazing feature: bright big sparkling red eyes. She also had a musically soft and low voice that complemented her Kyoto accent. Put all that together with a polite smile, elegant and attentive posture, and a playful side, she was every TV host or hostess's wet dream. Obviously, she was a ratings success; any show that had her on it easily outstripped any other in its time slot. Of course, her small group of fans from school grew into a small army of devoted lunatics. She was followed just about everywhere by small groups of that army these days. There were now more than twenty websites devoted to her, including the college fan clubs.

Inevitably, some fans would go too far, trying to get articles of clothing, or even try to get a hold of Miss Fujino's school things, to borderline stalking. Miss Fujino was at an event one evening and happened to find that her drink had been drugged, but luckily her father's people found her passed out in the ladies room on a cushy chair in the waiting area (hey it was a fancy hotel). The far more frightening incident occurred at _The HiMe Star_, where the client was assaulted in the break room. Her assailant had her pinned up against the back wall of the room and was getting ready to abduct her when the club manager and owner, Anh Lu, found them. The girl (which was a surprise) was escorted to the police station and was only charged with minor assault. She was released on bail and disappeared. Needless to say, Miss Fujino was shaken, and Anh Lu promptly hired us to protect her customers' favorite waitress.

_These pictures seriously do not do her justice... _I thought as I sifted through the file's photographs, thinking on the accidental meeting a week ago.

I had dressed for working in hot conditions on that Monday morning. I wore a white tight fitting tank, and tanned tight cargos. I loved those pants, despite the fact that they hugged my ass and legs; they had deep pockets on the thighs and were sturdy enough to handle the long motorcycle rides that I put them through. They also look awesome with my kick-ass calf length leather boots and plethora of leather jackets. I pulled my lightest jacket out of the closet near the door and laid it over the back of my small couch, flopping on it before grabbing the remote and switching on the TV. Since I didn't have to meet Chie and Aoi until later in the afternoon, I decided to check out some of the morning shows to see if our star was to be interviewed on any of them.

I was to meet Chie and Aoi at _The HiMe Star_ at 2pm. Luckily, that day was not as hot as the forecaster called for, so I took my bike out for a ride before I had to meet the couple. After a nice ride along the water, I headed back into downtown Fuuka City. I caught sight of the equipment van as I screeched to a halt, jumping off the bike when it stopped. I made sure to kick down its stand before I let go, I would forget sometimes whenever I got too excited. After stowing my helmet in the bike's small storage compartment I pulled back the sleeve of my light leather jacket, revealing my sports watch to find that I was right on time. I smirked at my partners as I walked up to them. They were already waiting at the front door.

Chie gave me an answering smirk, "I don't think you can get any hotter, boss. I mean come on, you look like a biker's pinup girl!" She raked her eyes playfully over my outfit for the day. "Even Aoi's checking you out." She added, while jerking her thumb at her girlfriend. I flicked my gaze over to the chocolate - brunette. Yup, she'd been caught; her face was a flaming red.

Aoi mumbled something that I couldn't hear, but Chie did. Her grin became more pronounced and amusement danced in her brown eyes. "C'mon. Let's get this over with. I wanna get the set-up done on the cameras today, if possible." Apparently Chie was going to stop her teasing, so I shrugged and moved past her to the door.

The neon sign was off, grey and dull, above the bright crimson door. I grabbed the ornate H that acted like a door handle and pushed into the club. Chie let out a low whistle as we collectively took in the interior. A large circular bar dominated the center of the room with wide permanent long tables radiating out from it. I wondered what they were for, my eyes following one of them until it ended at the start of a dance floor. The dance floor met a large stage that took up the entirety of the back wall and wrapped around the corner; ending in the middle of the side wall. A smattering of round tables, their chairs turned upside down and placed on their tops, were scattered around the front of the club. Booths of all sizes wound their way around the parameter of the club, with islands of them dispersing the tables. Everything was in shades of gray, shinning black, and red.

We weaved our way back to a side door which opened to a wide, light corridor. The white walls seemed to go on endlessly and our sneakers squeaked on the black, slick floor. Finally reaching the manager's office, we all looked at each other daring someone to knock on the door. I scowled and banged on the wood with my impatient fist. Then I leaned on the frame facing the others and crossing my arms over my chest. I know - I'm a badass.

"I hope the manager's ho-" _SMACK_ "OW! Aoi, what was that for?" Chie whined, rubbing the back of her head.

"A little pain now more pleasure later." Was the sweet reply.

I chuckled "Aoi, you know she never learns. Besides I think she likes the attention."

"Natsuki, it's too bad you haven't felt the pain of love." Chie grinned mischievously. Aoi sputtered and blushed. My eyes grew wide then I shook my head.

Right as I was formulating a snarky response, a melodious voice spoke right next my ear, brushing against the skin behind it and tickling my hair. "Ara, if one of you three lovely ladies were involved, I would gladly experience this 'pain'."

I practically threw myself away from the door, standing rigidly straight. My hand flew to my neck as I spun around to face my attacker. She was tall, really tall. My eye was level with her tanned neck and the top of a nicely shaped chest. _Nice necklace_. My eyes traveled up to meet clear cerulean eyes that were currently sparkling with amusement. The lady reached up and brushed back her ashy brown bangs with an elegant hand and suddenly smirked. She leaned forward, locking her eyes on mine.

"Especially you, Sexy Pants-san." She husked, lowering her voice into a soft murmur. My mouth fell open, and heat ran into my pale cheeks. I'm pretty sure I was bright red at this point. Chie let out a muffled snort and I could hear Aoi giggling behind me.

I took a discreet step back shutting my mouth and then stuttering out, "H-Hi... Anh Lu, I presume?" She straightened to her full height - like all six feet of her - and slowly nodded. She motioned us into her office. The three of us filed in and stood in front of her desk, while she walked around it and smoothly slid into the cushy chair situated behind it. She then leaned back, running assessing eyes over us, lingering mostly on me.

"You're the team hired to help protect Shizuru, yes?" We all nodded. "Great! Shizuru was told that I would be hiring specialists to help out the security team here. I'm glad that there are so few of you. Shi-chan asked that you'll be discreet, and she honestly doesn't want to know whose going to actually be watching over her." She took in our surprised glances, and giggled daintily behind her long fingered hand. "Oh, I know, that girl certainly is an odd one. She thinks of this as a bit of a game; I believe she wants to use this experience as a base for her school thesis."

I scowled, "Lady, this is no game, Miss Shizuru is being stalked. Stalkers tend to escalate, especially if they are ignored, or scoffed at, over time. This person's mail has been ignored and was stopped from making contact with her at least one time; she is most likely to try something more drastic than simply accosting her in the hallway at work! Hell, there could even be more than one stalker!"

Ahn raised an eyebrow and sighed, "Right, umm -"

"Natsuki," I huffed out.

She blinked, surprised at the usage of my given name, "Na-tsu-ki, then," she carried on, rolling my name over her tongue. "Shizuru is well aware that her recent exposure in the media has garnered a lot of unwanted attention. Honestly, she's had issues with a lot of our customers in the past. I think we've had to ban four or five people because of her, and there's been about an incident a month due to overly amorous patrons. Shizuru really doesn't want any extra attention due to something that she has been dealing with in one form or another since high school, or so I've been told."

She paused, leaned forward in her chair placing her elbows on the wooden desk and laced her fingers in front of her. All traces of playfulness were gone from her expression. "I truly care for this young lady. She is a dear friend of mine, and I sincerely hope that she stays safe. Playing this 'game' of hers is the only way to keep her focused on something that won't allow for her to do anything rash. She thinks that trying to find out who is protecting her will help her read people a little better. It's her round-about way of self-defense.

This last incident really frightened me. None of the others that we've kicked out or banned were as sneaky and tenacious as this girl was. For one thing, she was stone cold sober - most of our customers don't have the guts to talk to Shi-chan without some booze in them. When I found them, Shizuru was so scared, she was shaking. You probably noticed this already from the TV interviews, she's a hard nut to crack. That was first time in the five years I've known her that I've seen her so vulnerable. And the bouncers said that her attacker was righteously crazy. Apparently the bitch was raving about all the lovely things that she and Shizuru had in common. The girl even graphically described what she would do to Shizuru once she got her alone." She made a face. "It was not pretty."

Okay, now I feel like an ass. Sometimes I hate my short temper. I looked again into those ocean blues. Worry and anger swirled in their depths. I softened my posture in understanding.

"I'm sorry Miss Lu," I started softy. "Chie, Aoi, Nao, and I will do our utmost to make sure that Miss Fujino stays safe until the police can find the stalker." I glanced at my two partners who were flanking me. Simultaneously, they looked at me then at our client, and gave her silent nods.

Chie stepped forward, pushed her glasses up to a comfortable spot on her nose and held out her hand, "Hello, Lu-san. My name's Chie Harada. I'm the recon lead." Anh Lu nodded and clasped hands with the tall black haired woman. "I also help Natsuki with surveillance." She added the last part with a smirk.

I also shook Anh's hand, "I'm Natsuki Kuga. I'll be point in this mission, and will have the most contact with Miss Fujino." I earnestly peered into her face. "I hope that I didn't upset you earlier and I am sorry for jumping to conclusions. Please, just call me Natsuki."

Eyes flashing mischievously, Anh broke into a wide playful smile. "Oh, I'm sure Shizuru will absolutely love you, Natsuki. And you don't have to apologize; your concern for Shizuru is duly noted and appreciated." Her smile widened, if that was possible. "Besides, you're too cute to be upset with for long."

_Oh. My. God_. The woman was almost as bad as Chie! I growled under my breath. I mean I know my looks get me a lot of attention, but Anh was taking this whole flirting thing too far. I opened my mouth to say something to that effect, but Aoi elbowed me in the ribs. I let out a whoosh of air and glared down at the blue eyed girl.

"And my name's Aoi Senou. I am Chie's assistant and the resident techie." Aoi bowed politely to our employer. "I would also like to apologize in advance for Chie, Natsuki, and Nao. Chie will probably hit on you in the near future. Natsuki'll get growly again, and Nao's…well… Nao." She then gave Anh a small smile.

Musical laughter filled the air as Anh absorbed the information that Aoi had so glibly given. "Thank you so much, Senou-san, I appreciate that you and your team are so candid. Please, I would love it if everyone would call me Anh. Anything more makes me feel old." She was still chuckling as she gracefully unfolded herself from her chair. She then clapped her hands in mirth. "Now tell me what you need to protect my precious Shizuru-chan."

So, armed with the cover that we were installing new surveillance systems, we got to work. I was to be the intern, i.e. I'm the gopher-bitch. I argued with Chie about the change in the hierarchy, but Aoi stepped in and pointed out that I could get away with snooping around if I had to do most of the heavy lifting. Damn Aoi and her iron-clad reasoning! I gave in so I could do my recon thing.

Chie and Aoi walked around the parameter of the club while I got familiar with all the nooks and crannies in the building. Although a little hesitant at first, Anh was also helpful enough to provide a list of places that Shizuru stayed at when she was working. I could see why, she had her own secure dressing room, for any "costume changes." It was complete with a small couch, a vanity and mirror, fridge, and a hot plate with a tea kettle. Anh mentioned that none of the other girls had accommodations like these, but then again, they didn't accidentally cause near riots due to their dancing.

Apparently, the club hired waiters and waitresses that were not only great with people, but were excellent dancers too. Throughout the night, the DJ would play certain songs, while the servers were to jump up on the nearest table to dance. They also encouraged their guests to join in on the dance floor or the side stage (they weren't allowed on the tables, for liability reasons).

When I had asked, "So it's kinda like _Coyote Ugly_, right?" all I got were blank stares. So much for Japan's supposed obsession with American pop culture.

In any event, each server gets one or two solo dances on the main stage. As long as the server stays reasonably clothed through the routine, they could dance to anything they wanted.

The club's activity began to pick up as the evening wore on. The servers were filtering in and began their pre-opening routine of getting tables ready and practicing their dances for the night. I wandered over to the bar and seated myself there, finding that it was a great vantage point. As I waited for my friends to finish their recon, I took in the increasingly busy crowd of workers. A friendly looking bartender, whose name was Mai, found her way over to me and gave me a glass of water. She then easily drew me into a comfortable conversation.

"So, do all of the servers here dance?" I asked the perky bartender.

She smiled and shook her head, orange-red hair flying into her face, "No, only the ones who volunteer to do it. It can be a little hard, moving around all night. Some nights, they have to do like eight songs on top of their personal ones. Shizuru-san has like three or four personal songs and _they_ get played tons when she's here." She spoke Shizuru's name with a quiet reverence. "Oh, and she's known as Viola here, so don't tell anyone her real name." Mai looked sternly at me, her eyes hardening into amethysts.

Silently, I nodded as I sat back in my seat. "Wow, that's a lot. Is Miss Shizuru that popular?" I already knew the answer but I wanted to hear the reason why the red head spoke her name like that.

She let loose a sad sigh, "Shizuru-san is beautiful and graceful, but nobody actually sees that she's a great person, too. You see, my brother's ill and I'm all he's got. She found out about him and is paying for his hospital bills for me." She paused and gave me a watery smile. "She said that he and I need to focus on living, like the flowers in spring. Even though they are in full bloom for a short time, they try so hard. Shizuru-san views the hospital bills as an obstacle to our blooming. I think she sees the hospital as the winter, but she's so eloquent, I would never be able to repeat what she said.

So, here I am, working my way through college. My brother, Takumi, is working here too. Shizuru-san mentioned to Anh-san that he was good with computers, so he's our IT guy. It's great because Takumi can come in whenever he is needed and Anh-san lets him take it easy when he needs to."

I gave her a soft smile. That was totally unexpected. "Beautiful." Honestly, that was all I could say; doing something like that for a co-worker is going above and beyond. Shizuru's explanation was surprisingly poetic. Mai's smile widened and she lifted her chin proudly. A blush formed on her cheeks and she dropped her gaze back down to the glass that she was polishing.

A heavy hand landed on my shoulder, "Wow, Noob-tsuki, you're already flirting with the staff and it's your first day out in the field?" Chie was clearly enjoying her role a little too much.

I sighed and turned in my seat, giving Chie a glare. She waggled her eyebrows, unfazed. "So, hey, could you tell my esteemed partner that we need a camera set up over there?" She pointed towards the front, to the top right corner of the club, which had an excellent view of the side stage and the DJ's nest.

Aoi rolled her eyes. "I still say we should put one over the stage. This way we can see all of the action without any washing out from the lighting systems." She gave her taller girlfriend a disapproving glare.

"Hey I don't know much about these things, but why don't we have one on the stage, pointing towards the bar." I gestured towards the front door. "The other in Chie's corner should face behind it, towards those tables and the entrance. That should cut out any lighting issues, right?"

"Wow, Natsuki, you're actually good at this." Aoi smiled, grateful that the issue was apparently resolved.

Chie, not wanting to admit any sort of defeat, bowed mockingly, "I am humbled before you, my master."

"Yes, you have much to learn, my young padawan." I said gravely in English, giving her a small bow in return. Star Wars vocabulary sounds weird in Japanese.

"Dorks."

We both turned to Aoi, grinning from ear to ear. She scoffed "Come on guys, focus! Yoda, I need you to stake out that booth so we can stick a camera in Luke's corner." She jammed Chie's glasses back on to her nose. Chie takes them off when she's helping Aoi install equipment. "Luke, we need to go get two more cameras and another monitor, I don't want to lose my eyesight because the images are too small."

"Why do I have to be Yoda? He's old, tiny, wrinkly, and speaks backwards." I whined, crinkling my face up into a pout.

"Yeah, I wanna be Han Solo!" Chie joined in.

Aoi threw her arms up "Fine! Natsuki, you're Luke." She rounded on Chie, "You can be Solo, now move before I get all Jabba the Hut on your asses!"

Chie and I promptly fist bumped, congratulating each other on a fine job in getting Aoi riled up enough to swear and reveal her inner geek. Aoi huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

Chie threw an arm around her girlfriend and murmured into her ear. "I love it when you speak geek to me." Aoi blushed and wrapped her arm around the tall brunette's waist as they walked away. She then leaned up and whispered something into Chie's neck that made her chuckle.

I sighed and made myself ready for the trip over to the corner. "They're a cute couple, aren't they?" I jumped slightly as I stood, hoping the movement would hide my surprise.

"Yeah, Chie's a pain in the ass at times, but her heart's in the right place. I honestly don't know how Aoi puts up with her. Aoi is the definition of kindness, I don't think that there's a mean bone in her body."

Mai sighed, "I wish I had my special someone." Her eyes glazed over as she stared dreamily off into space.

I snapped my fingers in front of her face "Hey! Earth to Mai! Urgent message for Mai." I leaned back as she snapped her violet colored eyes back to me. "Can I get some water?" She nodded and handed me a bottle from the fridge under the counter. I gave her some money and nodded before I turned and made my way over to the corner booth.

* * *

"Ara, ara, a new face! And what a pretty one at that. Wake up, Sleeping Beauty." Spoke a low musical voice in a pleasant mix of English and Japanese. _Even her accent is pretty and I bet the lady who belongs to that voice is really pretty too_, I thought in my haze. I had never heard a Japanese accent sound so nice. My lips formed a smile, and I snuggled further into my jacket, willing the voice to carry on.

"Why thank you, miss. But I really do think that you should wake up, that position you are sleeping in looks rather uncomfortable." The voice was now laced with amusement. I could feel the warmth radiating off the other as she moved closer. It was odd that the voice responded to my thoughts. Wait a minute…

_Shit._

"Holy guacamole!" I yelled as I bolted straight up into a seated position. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes with the heels of my palms. My mouth dropped as I took in the person who owned that hypnotic voice. My eyes widened as they travelled from the tops of the woman's sandaled feet to the top of her tawny head. I ticked off the physical features of my 'body'. _Golden skin-check. Long, long legs- check. Athletic, yet curvy body-check. Light brown hair and a gorgeous face-check. _I gulped as I met dancing crimson eyes. _Big, red eyes- check._

It took a full minute for me to register that I was now face to face with the person I was supposed to be protecting. I shuffled further into my seat, noticing that she was wearing very short athletic shorts and a tight tank-top that revealed lots of that glowing skin. I was a little incredulous; she makes friggin exercise clothes look ridiculously sexy. My eyes widened as I realized I was staring. Shizuru did, too.

She giggled. I groaned.

_Double Shit._

"Ara, I do believe that we have a Snow White on our hands." Shizuru clapped her hands in front of her ample chest. An impish smile formed on her lips. "I know that Snow White is supposed to be awakened by true love's first kiss. It's too bad only my voice woke you."

I blushed from head to toe, thinking quickly. I turned away shuffling through my things. I had to show that I wasn't affected by her teasing, or she might just carry on with it. If that happened I'm sure I'd faint. My hand brushed my cell. I grabbed it and smirked, putting my hands over my head stretching out the last of my sleep. Turning in my seat to face her again I began to tap at it, pretending that I was calling someone. In reality, I was franticly texting Chie and Aoi for help.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell."

She cocked her head to the side, "There's no need to apologize. It was I who frightened you, after all." Shizuru then smiled her patented half smile. I've seen that smile so much on TV. It was a mask. I knew, mostly because the expression never actually filled her eyes. Right now, her smile and posture spoke patient anticipation, but her eyes held mischief. I was determined to put a real smile on her face.

I put the phone to my ear, slightly turning my face away from her for some privacy. "Hello, I'm trying to get a hold of someone to help me return a runaway princess." I said into the phone, steeling a quick glance at my charge, judging her reaction. She was stunned; her eyebrows were slowly disappearing under her bangs. I inwardly groaned as she visibly stopped herself from asking what the hell I was doing. "Seriously, I think I might have one of your princesses here in Fuuka City." I put a hint of irritation in my voice.

She cracked. "Who are you calling?" She whispered. Her arms wrapped themselves around her stomach and she took a tentative, but curious step closer.

I cupped my hand around the phone and a replied with a soft "Tokyo Disneyland." Her mouth dropped open and her eyes grew wide in panic.

I glanced down as I pretended that I was taken off hold. "Hello, you're a supervisor? Ah, no, she's not wearing a gown, but I think that she might just be one of your actors." I paused. "Oh, a description? Sure thing." I stood up and stepped forward, getting into her personal bubble. "Okay, I'm not great at this but here it goes." I began circling her, noticing that we were of the same height, but I was slightly taller. "She's approximately 172 centimeters, athletic but curvy, clear lightly tanned skin, and has shoulder-length honey brown hair that's thick and wavy."

I came back around and stopped right in front of her face, so I could watch her as I described my favorite features. "Regal facial structure, long eyelashes, and the most amazing eyes anyone could have. Really, I'm surprised you guys let her out of your sights!" I paused again. "No, you don't get to hear about her eyes! What! You're an idiot!"

Shizuru lowered her gaze, looking somewhere on the floor. "Ya know what? I think I'll keep her." I said the last part in a murmur, not needing to say it any louder, seeing as we were so close. I pretended to hang up on the Disney people, stuffing the phone into my back pocket.

Without anything to do, my hand came up to cup her delicate chin, forcing her to look into my eyes. She was shaking with suppressed mirth and her eyes were dancing with laughter. "Yup, your eyes are absolutely beautiful, especially when they laugh."

She stepped back and burst out laughing. I mentally gave myself a high five. Her voice was amazing, but her silvery laughter was heavenly. "Either you actually called Disney, or that was the most elaborate pick-up line I have ever heard." She looked at me, eyes sparkling as tears rolled down her cheeks, and gave me a brilliant smile. "Thank you, Snow White. I haven't had a laugh like that in a very long time."

She brought up a long-fingered hand and brushed at the happy tears on her cheeks. "My name is Shi- Viola, by the way."

I gave her a theatrical bow. "Many thanks, Princess, but I did mean it when I said that your eyes are incredible. They are such an odd color, almost like the many shades of red that are found in autumn. I-"

My phone rang for real this time and I pulled it out to check the caller ID. It was Nao. _ Damnit_. I growled and then glanced at Shizuru. "Please excuse me, I have to take this." I held out my hand for a hand shake. "It's nice meeting you Viola." We shook.

_BAM!_

I jumped as I shook myself out of my revelry. I blinked down at the pictures that were now being held loosely in my hands. Then the knocking began again.

"I'm coming! Chill out!" I raced to the door and threw it open. Chie froze in mid strike, almost punching me in the face. Aoi gasped. I looked at them in confusion.

"What?"

Chie sighed, rolling her eyes in the process. "You remember when I said you couldn't possibly get any hotter?"

"Yeeeaaah?"

"Well, you just broke that threshold. By a lot."

I stepped back, signaling them to come inside. Turning around to hide my blushing face (I'm not really good at taking compliments about my looks) I marched back to the vanity. I plopped into the seat, waiting for Aoi to catch up.

"Alrighty then, let's get you into that awesome wig that I got you." Aoi ran her fingers through my hair, smoothing it out for easier styling. "I'm probably only going to be able to do this a couple times for you, so pay attention. Oh, and you really don't need a bald cap because the wig is dyed to look like your natural hair color."

She then quickly styled my hair into a tight bun. She intentionally left some of my shorter hair out of the bun to complement the wig. I winced as she placed the wig over my head and dug the pins into my scalp.

"All done!" She glanced at my image in the mirror. "You look great by the way; just don't let anyone distract you!" She gave me a little wink before turning to Chie.

Chie then stepped forward and announced that she was going to add a little extra to the outfit. "You're still wearing those blue contacts, right?"

I nodded "Yeah, I'm waiting till right before we leave though. They kinda itch."

"Okay. Since they probably won't cover all of the green in your eyes, I have a couple of things that could bring out the blue from the contacts." She pulled a navy blue skinny tie and a black leather fedora out of her satchel. The hat had a blue strip of fabric, the same color as the tie. "Some of that jewelry's gotta go. They could mess with the voice alternator."

"Voice alternator? I thought that my voice was low enough to pass as a guy."

Chie snorted. "Yeah it is, but since you had to go and talk to the body, we had to make sure that she can't recognize you. So, Aoi and Youko-san created this nifty device that essentially lowers your voice a bit more." She held up something that looked like a choker.

I took it and checked it out. It looked like a thin leather dog collar, complete with small silver buttons, etched with the heads of howling wolves. It was okay, I guess, so I put it around my neck.

"Push in the button on the center of your neck." Aoi ordered. I obliged and looked in askance at her. "Okay now speak"

"Umm Aoi, This is "I stopped in surprise. What came out of my mouth was my voice, but not really. It still had that raspy husk, but it was an octave lower than usual. "Aoi, this is amazing!" I stood up and gave her a big hug.

She gave me a small squeeze before stepping back. "Thanks, I had Chie test it out, and I figured that it would work even better on you because of that raspy quality you have. I guess I was right."

Chie stepped in and threw the tie around my neck. She then tucked it under my stiff collar and tied it very loosely, so the knot was resting on my sternum. She also unbuttoned the shirt a little more than what I would have liked, but since she essentially picked my out getup I didn't protest. After that, she placed the fedora snuggly on my head, so my wig's bangs fell into my right eye. She backed away, glancing at her girlfriend.

I took off the extra bling from around my neck and the clip on ear ring but left the amulet tucked under my shirt. Finally, I popped in my blue contacts, pushing my hair out of my eyes. I turned without looking at the mirror. I wanted to see my friends' reactions first.

"Wow," An awed whisper came from Aoi.

"I concur. This is turning out to be the best mission ever!" Chie fist pumped.

When I finally faced them, they critically took in my disguise, checking for any flaws.

"You know. I'm a friggin' genius. The tie and hat really helps hide the green in your eyes. They're so vivid that I thought that no naturally colored contact could change them enough." Chie stepped forward again and placed her hands on my now flat chest.

I yelped and fought the urge to jump back. I knew that she was just testing the padding, but it's kind of hard to fight instinct.

"So, I pass, right?" My new voice husked out.

Aoi shivered and gave a weak thumbs-up.

"Dude, if you were a dude, and I wasn't gay, I'd do you right here and now."

_Okay Chie, that's gross. _ I rolled my eyes and then checked the time on my awesome new watch.

"Right, guys. Let's get this first day right. We don't know what's going to happen, but Nao said that the word on the street was that Shizuru might be attacked tonight. Nao's already there, I think she's posing as a waitress, and Anh should be aware." I looked at them gravely. "We all know the potential that stalkers bring to the table. We have to make sure the body stays safe and gather any clues that the police might use."

They both nodded and then began to gather up their things. I finally turned to look in the mirror for the first time since my disguise was completed. I raised an eyebrow at my reflection. _Damn, I look good_. With that confident thought, I spun around to grab my helmet off the coffee table and walked out with my team to get to work.

* * *

**AN: Hey All! This chapter has been beta'd by my awesome beta: Athena Sampaio! This is the third incarnation of the chapter. **

**What do you all think? Reviews are awesome as always and any mistakes are my own.**


	2. Shining Knight

Shining Knight

_Grey, slanted eyes looked up into my crimsons with admiration and lust. I could feel her breath on my clenched lips. Flinching, I bumped the back of my head against the wall as I frantically pushed further into it. Her hands had my wrists in an iron hold. Nausea and dizziness washed over me, I started shaking. _

_"Wh-what to you want of me?" I asked as I fought my queasy stomach. I was losing the battle fast._

_My attacker's eyes grew wild with rage, "What do I want?" My attacker snarled, "You didn't even read my letters, Shizuru!" She yanked my wrists over my head, effectively stretching my body, making my back arch._

_"I get hundreds of letters a week, not to mention emails and tweets." I tried to explain, my voice was growing softer as I weakened. "I try to read every one." _

_"I forgive you, Shizuru- oneesama. But you shouldn't try so hard for all of _them_; you'll only get tired out. Don't worry. I'll keep all those hussies away from you." She cooed as she pressed the full length of her body against mine, even as she kept her hold on my wrists._

_My breath hitched, I remember those letters. Many writers used that honorific in admiration but only one used it to cover darker feelings. "T-Tomoe... wha, why do I feel so...?"_

_She gasped as I called her name, nuzzling her face into the crook of my neck. "I just wanted to get you alone. I only wanted to talk to you, to touch you..." _

_I let out a low moan as she removed her hands from my wrists to slide them under my shirt. My arms fell to my sides; hanging there, useless. I tried to move them, but found that they wouldn't respond. Those hands were so insistent. Demanding. Wanting. And they were moving north, brushing against my taut abdomen... _

_"No..."_

"NO!"

As I threw my hands out to fend off my nightmare, I shot straight up from my prone position in my bed. A cold sweat ran cooled down my heated skin and I pulled my covers up to protect my shivering body. My eyes strained, darting around my bedroom, looking for movement in the shadows. The trembling increased as the night-cooled air brushed against my sweaty skin. Blood roared back into my head and I had to fight off a wave of dizziness. Short panting breaths escaped my lips as my chest heaved painfully.

_Tha-Thump, Tha-Thump_.

_It's just a dream, only a dream... _I tried to rationalize as I pressed my hand over my rapidly beating heart. Slowly, almost agonizingly so, I was able to calm down. Although I still shivered occasionally, I was able to maneuver myself to the side of my bed, where I swung my legs over the edge. I placed my feet on the carpet, bracing my hands against the mattress and tucked my chin against my chest, slamming my eyes closed.

The only problem with my nightmare theory was that it was real. Tomoe had attacked me only about two weeks ago and so far I had relived the experience_ every single_ night. Sometimes, I would wake up in a cold sweat but without the dreams. At other times, I would relive the whole thing. Very rarely my sub-conscious would take over and give me some "what if" scenarios. Suffice it to say, I am not too fond of those dreams. After such experiences I would almost always end up running to the bathroom, retching and crying. Of course sleep was not an option after that.

I got up and began pacing around my bedroom, the familiar sights and smells slowly comforting me. This dream was a little different; I usually ended these types of dreams with me being rescued. My face screwed into a grimace. Honestly, this was a bit of a reprieve; the worst part of my attack was after I let out my weak protest. Tomoe had gone into a rage at my small utterance and had practically ripped the tight fitting tee shirt off my body in an attempt to get to my bra. She had slammed her mouth into mine, teeth slicing my lips as she tried to force her way into my mouth. Tomoe gave up on kissing me when I bit her tongue and moved onto claiming my neck. The bruises were still there. I rubbed my neck, wincing as the pressure of my palm passed over the unwanted hickeys. I felt something wet on my skin.

I didn't realize that I had stopped my walking and that my breath was hitching as I cried silent tears. I was so scared and alone. I had no one to hold onto simply because I was afraid that any potential suitors would use me for a number of things. First would be for my body, second would be for the money that I held, and the third, most recent reason would be to become famous. Those emotions slowly turned to frustration and anger.

"Damnit!" I snarled, punching the air.

I know how I got into this mess. All of those TV shows! I punched again, releasing some more of my pent up frustration. My father was running for a position in the Diet, the Japanese parliament. And like the good little girl that I was, I eagerly suggested that I take interviews on the popular morning shows. I knew that my father's opponent, Kazehiko Takeda, didn't really have a representative in my age group. Sure, he had a son, Masashi, but he was not great at public speaking and stuttered when he was flustered. He also had a bad habit of using his looks to get into girls' pants.

I sighed, glancing at my alarm clock that was currently glowing peacefully on the bedside table. It was only 12:30 in the morning.

_Damn, only two hours of sleep tonight._

I knew that my fans had formed a club at Fuuka University, despite my requests for them not to. However, I naïvely assumed that people would listened to my political message, and not make me into some sort of starlet. Boy, I was dead wrong. My father loved the fact since it seemed like more college aged students were voting for him. They simply voted for him because I represented him on those talk shows. This isn't egotistical, it's pure fact. The surveys prove that.

Don't get me wrong, I actually love to be a guest on shows. This is especially true of the earliest ones. Sure, on my first couple of interviews for morning news programs I had been a little too enthusiastic and ended up messing up some questions. After figuring out how to work the interviewer, the experiences were quite fun and challenging. Some interviews ended up in polite bickering that made the producer's day.

Then there were the shows that were more for amusement than for any hard news. Sure, I'd get simple questions about my father's campaign, but then the interviews would delve into pop culture and so on. Slowly, the number of news programs that requested me dropped and consequently I'd be invited on more entertainment shows. I fully blame these for the rise in the 'crazies' club (otherwise known as my hardcore fans). Okay, okay sure I dress up in what one could say was provocative outfits, but hey classiness gets boring after doing it for so many times. Besides, I would say that my fashion choices are a combination of class and sexy.

Oh and there were the times that I flirted and teased the show's hosts mercilessly. Those memories brought a soft chuckle out of me.

I had been asked out by no more than four male hosts and a number of females. What can I say? The ladies love me. In fact, I had one hostess so flustered that she actually asked me out for coffee on the air. There was that time when the lecherous host of another show tried to feel me up. I left him in a quivering mess after thoroughly ruining his show by not properly answering any of his questions. How I love psychology.

The interview requests were becoming more frequent as networks found out that I had a ridiculous number of rabid fans who would watch anything that I was on. Again, like a good little soldier I agreed to do more TV spots over my summer break from school. Still, I looked forward to them and the particular challenges that they bring.

My chuckles turned into laughs as I realized that I was turning into a glutton for punishment.

_Baby loves to dance in the Dark. Cause when he's looking she falls apart..._

I jumped and swore. Again my chest heaved as I tried to bring myself down. I angrily swiped the ringing cell off the table.

"Hi, Anh nee-chan." I sighed wearily into the phone.

_"Hey, Shi-chan, did you have another nightmare?"_ Anh's melodious voice flowed softly through the phone.

She knew me so well, my Anh Nee-chan. "Yes. But tonight's dream was surprisingly short. I think I am starting to cope."

_"Shi-chan, you'll probably never forget that. I know I won't." _She replied sadly with a little hint of guilt.

I moved to sit on my bed, relaxing for the first time since I woke up. "Oh Nee-chan, I love listening to your voice. Ookini for calling." I said unconsciously switching into my singsong Kyoto accent.

A low chuckle emanated through the line. _"So says the person who can cause instant attraction with just her voice. Although, I think your current fame has more to do with your physical appearance than what comes out of your mouth." _She paused, possibly waiting for a witty response. I was not in the mood to get into the old argument with her. When none came, she added, _"Go open your door, Shi-chan. I have a surprise for you."_

"Okay, but this had better be good. I don't want to move too much," I began as I made a move towards the door.

_"Come on! Hurry up!"_ Anh whined impatiently.

"Okay, Okay. I'm coming."

I made my way over the front of the apartment, moving through the living room and into the front hall. I turned on the light and checked through the peephole. Finding no one there, I unlatched the locks and turned the handle. With the door half way open, Anh popped out of the shadows with a box of tea and a huge grin on her face. Naturally, in my state, she managed to scare the peas out of me and I responded with the appropriate scream.

"Nee-Chaan! Ikezu!" I whined, even though I was so happy to see her.

She stepped in, shut the door and placed her gift on the shelf that had been built into the wall. Still not responding, she pulled off her pumps and began moving towards the living room. I followed in a bit of a huff, knowing that I wouldn't get something until she was ready to give it.

When we reached the comfortable living room, she spun on her heel, marched over and enveloped me in a hug. I melted into the familiar warmth of her body, giving out a little half sobbing sigh.

"Oh, Shi-chan, I wish that I could protect you better. You are my best friend. I love you too much to see you hurt." Anh said softly into my mussed up mane of hair.

That did it; I broke down for like the fourth time since I was attacked. It was the first time this week though. I felt so bad that I was attacked while I was under Anh's watch; she didn't need the guilt. Anh was the only one who knew about my attack who was constantly checking up on me. She and Laula, her lover, allowed me to stay at their house until I felt like I could be on my own again. Laula even agreed to give up Anh for the first couple nights as I slept in their bed, wrapped in the warmth of my dearest friend. My parents and siblings didn't even bother to call after the initial flood of concern had worn off.

I should have known to be more careful after Tomoe's stalking began. There was something that I could have done differently. I just didn't know what. With that terrible thought, I sobbed harder into Anh's shoulder, anchoring myself to her waist.

"I'm s-so ss-sorry, Nee-chan. I-I could have done better."

Anh gasped and pulled out of my grip to look me in the eyes. I whimpered at the loss of her warmth. My hands grasped at her to pull her back so I could feel safe again.

"Shizuru!" She exclaimed, voice harsh with unshed tears. Her soft fingers gently found their way to the sides of my face, wiping away my tears and brushing my bangs out of my eyes.

I choked back my sobs. Anh rarely said my full name unless she was under duress. My crimson gaze searched her face. Forlorn blues began to darken with anger.

"Never, never say that this is your fault again. You can rely on others, Shizuru. You do not have to fight this on your own. Think of your friends and your family." Her clear blue eyes shimmered as those tears began to fall. "Remember this: _We_ could have done better!" She whispered fiercely.

I nodded and reached a hand out to wipe her tears, cupping it to her cheek. "Thank you Nee-chan, I love you."

She gave me a gentle smile and leaned in, planting a tender kiss on my forehead. Another hiccupping sob escaped my lips. My own mother wasn't this loving or tender with me; she was too busy. Shaking my head slightly to get rid of the bitter feelings, I moved away from Anh.

"I'm so tired. Do you want to join me in bed?"

Anh gave me a mischievous, yet watery, smile. "Darling, that's the whole reason for my coming over. I wanted to seduce you while your defenses were low."

"Ha! I knew you had an ulterior motive, dear Anh. But alas, I shall not succumb to your advances. I am too afraid of Laula nee-chan." I let out a low laugh, knowing that Anh was playing.

Anh suddenly brightened, "Ah, I know for whom you save such thoughts, dearest Shizuru." She waggled her brows at me and backed away. She then quoted, "Lips red as the rose, hair black as ebony, skin as white as snow… "

"Anh! Go get changed already!"

My cheeks were burning a bright red. Damn, I knew I shouldn't have told Anh about my encounter with my Snow White. The woman has teased me mercilessly since.

I moved into the bedroom, adjusting the covers so that Anh would have room on the bed. With that done, I flopped down face down on it and buried my face in my pillows.

Soon, the bed dipped as Anh slid into it. She reached over to rub my back for a couple minutes, soothing away my fears. When I sighed, she silently scooted over, pulling me into a hug. I snuggled into her warmth.

"Sleep well Shi-chan, for tomorrow is a new day. And it will be a good one."

I mumbled something as I felt fingers running gently through my thick hair. As sleep finally claimed me, all I could think about were a pair of emerald eyes that burned with a kind intensity.

Sun made its way into the room and caressed my face with warm insistence. I groaned and turned away, not wanting to get up just yet. It took me a moment but I realized that Anh's side of the bed was most certainly not filled with my ashy-blond friend. In a panic, I threw off my sheets and quickly made my way to the door, stumbling over a pile of clothes. The door was cracked and a pair of voices reached my ears. I recognized Anh's musical lilt but it took me a couple of seconds to place the second. When it finally struck me, I let out the breath that I didn't know I was holding in.

_Laula. _I turned around and leaned against the door frame, smiling. Laula Bianchi was as solid as they come; physically and mentally. The fact that she was here was proof that I wasn't the only one needing to be comforted. I took a deep breath and stepped out to greet my two dearest friends.

"I know, Laula. But I just don't want her to feel like she's alone." Anh sounded like she was about to cry. Again.

"Hun, you can't shield her from everything, you know. She's a bright kid. If you give her the right tools to use, she will certainly find a way to make them work for her."

I paused at that. Was Anh keeping things from me? Probably, seeing as some of my fans found that I worked at the_ Star_. I shrugged. If Anh didn't want to give me something, then she had good reasons for doing so. I took a deep cleansing breath and then walked into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Laula and Anh nee-chan." I spoke in a teasing singsong.

Laula chuckled, "More like good afternoon but the sentiment is the same." She held out her arms for a hug.

I stepped into them. Laula gave me a tight squeeze, pretty much squishing my face into her chest. I didn't mind though because Laula's hugs were the best. I felt Anh as she stepped in for her turn. I wiggled out of Laula's grasp, giggling.

"Nice hair Laula. You match now." I reached up a hand to run my fingers through the dark skinned woman's short spiky hair. It was dyed a light cerulean, to match Anh's eyes.

She chuckled before turning me around to face her lover. "I tried to have her dye hers lavender, to match my eyes, but she refused. Broke my heart, too."

Anh shot a playful glare over my shoulder before resting her eyes on me. She kissed my cheek before reaching out and pulling me into a gentle embrace.

Anh gave the second best hugs. Together they were the ultimate tag team of huggers.

"I turned off the alarm clock, Shi-chan. You needed the rest." She whispered in my ear.

I nodded and asked, "What time is it?"

"1:30" was the simultaneous reply.

"What? Guys, you know that I have work tonight at the _Star_. I also need to confirm my next week's appearances!" As I pulled away from Anh, my mind went into overdrive.

"Chill out, kid. I made sure that everything is okay for next week and Anh's going to take you to work." Amusement was evident in Laula's voice.

I sighed in relief. "Ookini, guys. You're the best." I gave them quick hugs before I dashed to my room to get ready for work.

* * *

"Viola oneesama!" Was the only warning I got as I was tackled from behind by two blurs.

I let out a short 'Umph' before my face met the carpeted floor of_ The HiMe Star_. The two bodies of the club's youngest workers mushed the rest of me into the ground. The girls were the resident DJ's and they were surprisingly good at their jobs. Their boundless energy was captured when they were over their turntables.

"I wanna say hi first!"

"Aww! I saw her first, though. I wanna hug!"

The jostling continued as Arika Yumemiya and Mikoto Minagi tried to squeeze, simultaneously, onto my back. Today was my first official day back, and the girls wanted me to feel welcome.

"Mmh" I struggled under their combined weight. "Girls, I would love to thank you for welcoming me back but I need you to let me up."

The girls paused. They jumped off and began to enthusiastically pat at my clothes, trying to smooth them out. Their hands left my body as they sat back politely. No doubt they were quivering with excitement.

Chuckling at their pure adorableness, I lifted off the carpet and turned my body into a seated position. I rested my fore arms on my bent knees. I looked between them. One pair of liquid gold eyes and another pair of baby blues stared back in eager anticipation.

"Thank you, girls. It was a wonderful welcome." I said softly. "Come here so I can give you my presents."

They jumped me again with twin cries of enthusiasm. This time I was prepared for the fourteen year olds' assault. I wrapped Arika up in one arm while Mikoto nuzzled her face in my breasts. Arika got a loud smacking kiss on the cheek, to which she promptly went bright red and fainted into my shoulder.

My free hand came up to rustle through Mikoto's soft ebony spikes. I swear I could hear her purr into my chest as she tried to get further up in there. I laughed at their antics. These two are like instant cures for stress. My worries seemed small compared to the unconditional love these two dished out.

"Okay people! Break up the love fest before I puke."

I one person could be so tactless. "Hello, Nao-chan."

Nao was _The HiMe Star_'s newest DJ. She was small for her nineteen years. Standing at only five-two and sporting an extremely petite figure, many underestimated her. Their mistake. She made up for her size and delicacy with a mouth that could make a sailor blush. Not to mention the fact that she was an excellent dancer, her movements were an odd combination of quick sharpness and sensuous grace.

Her favorite saying was "I don't care what team you play for, as long as you play." Of course, she put money where her mouth was and flirted with anyone who she thought was hot, especially when intoxicated. I have a feeling that she is mostly of the male persuasion, though.

She snorted and was probably rolling her lime- green eyes at me. "Yeah, Yeah. Welcome back and all that." Nao walked around so I could see her. "I need the rug rats to help with the programing on the lights."

After eyeing the spunky red head, I let a sly grin form on my lips "Ah, I see Nao-chan has dressed up today. Perhaps she knew I was coming back and decided to impress me, no?"

Nao huffed and crossed her arms in front of her revealing top, slightly turning her body away from me. Her mini skirt lifted just enough to reveal more of her toned, pale thigh. "Ha, as if. You know I don't play for your team. You know I like the –"

"Nao! The kids! Mind your language." I scolded sharply.

"Well, then don't try to tease me. I am immune to your snake charming ways."

_Right, Nao._ I shot her a skeptical look. Then I turned my attention back to the teens that were currently latched onto me. I nudged Mikoto so I could look her in the eye.

"Mikoto-chan. Thank you again. I really need to get up to help everyone out now." I waited until she nodded her head and stood to work on Arika.

Picking her up, I brushed her hair back from the side of her neck and blew a short burst of air on the sensitive skin there. She let out a muffled yelp into my shoulder before jumping up, standing at rigid attention.

"Ma'am. Yes Ma'am! I'll get those tracks to you right away!"

Nao rolled her eyes again and reached out a hand to help me up. I grabbed it and let her pull me up. Another tease formed in my head, it was too easy. When I was fully standing, I used our clasped hands to pull her upper body closer to me.

Bending slightly, I put my lips right next to her ear and murmured in my most seductive voice, "Thank you so much Nao. I didn't know you cared." An eye twitched as her brain tried to process what had happened. Before she could do anything, I let go of her hand and sauntered towards the employees only area, not looking back to see her reaction.

_3, 2, 1, and…_

"Gah! Woman! I'm gonna run you into the damn ground tonight!"

I spun around and blew her a kiss before escaping to my dressing room.

The door of my dressing room clicked shut, leaving me to my thoughts. Tonight was going to be fun. In order to come back to dance I had to agree with Anh not to mingle. That's the term I came up with for when I served cocktails. Most nights while I waited for my turn to dance, I almost always ended up getting tips for just talking to my guests. So, I necessarily didn't have to get people their drinks. In fact people at tables would take turns in getting their refreshments just to keep me for themselves. No less than fifty fist fights had started over which tables had seen me first. In any event, the argument between Anh and I was short but intense. The tips that I raked in went directly to Takumi's hospital fund. Anh pretty much assured me that any extra money that the club made as a result of my dancing would go to Takumi. That was good enough for me. Dancing it was, then.

Besides, I can't disappoint my contingent of raving loons, now can I? Nope, that would cause riots. It's happened before.

I was practicing all week, working with the choreographer, JUN, and the other servers of _The HiMe Star_. It was all hands on deck, as Anh wanted this to be a celebration of summer. Nao had even agreed to dance on a couple of songs. This past Monday I had come in early to ask JUN, who by the way was so gay he had to have his name all in caps (we all love him for it too), with help selecting music for my finale. That was when I met her. My Snow White. And I don't even know her true name.

She truly embodied a modern day Snow White. I remembered her face was that unique combination of strength and fragility, with high strong cheek bones a narrow nose that slightly flared out, and her full lips that adorned a wide firm mouth. Her hair was straight and long, its color an inky black that shimmered blue in the light. When I first came upon her while she was sleeping, I had to fight to brush the ebony tendrils out of her face, just to see if it was as soft as I had imaged it was. Beautifully soft pale skin covered the tight muscles of her stomach. I had taken a peek when she had stretched out her sleep and her top had ridden up a little. I know - I'm a bad girl, but who wouldn't?

I sighed, thinking on how perfect her body was and the way she moved. She was fit, but lithe and long. She had gentle curves that only served to show off the strength in her arms, legs and abs. When she moved, it was with a predatory grace. Most women were taught to float or glide, but this young woman flowed. I was in awe at how controlled her movements were and at the beauty that it had created.

My body shivered just remembering that low husky voice. The woman had the best bedroom voice I've ever heard, like grey silk over sand. I just about melted when that silky grey lowered to say, "I think I'll keep her." My goodness, I don't even think the biker realized what she sounded like! With that voice no one would have to know what she'd look like and she'd still be able to seduce her fair share of men and women. It's almost unfair that she's absolutely gorgeous as well.

I walked over to my closet to get ready for the evening. The doors were opening in about an hour. I shuffled through the clothes, looking for my outfit for the first number. The song was "Just Dance" by Lady Gaga. It was simple with just tight jean shorts and a mini black top that was essentially a bra, but it went well with the song and was comfy. I also had knee high boots that matched the top

After pulling out the top, I was interrupted in my search for the shorts by a knock at the door.

"Come in, it's open." I didn't bother to turn around, as was my habit.

I froze as I remembered something. _Oh, Crap_! I had forgotten that I was supposed to lock the door. Anh and Hiroki, the head bouncer, had been especially adamant in getting me to lock it after Tomoe's attack. Although I had remembered to keep it locked over the week, I hadn't thought of it since I was actually using it tonight.

"I see you've forgotten to lock the door Shizuru-san."

I turned to the shorter woman. "Hello, Mai. How's Takumi?"

Mai grinned, white teeth flashing. "He's doing well, thank you. He's been asking for you. Says he needs help on his English homework. I think that he just wants to show you off to all his buddies though. He told me that he had let his friends know that he has a hot English tutor, but his friends don't believe him."

_Ara_. I gave a light chuckle. "He's simply too cute. Well, I'll have to remedy those boys' thinking, won't I?"

"Yeah. That would totally up his street cred."

I nodded my agreement. "I have to find the shorts that go with this top. Could you give me a hand?" I swung my attention back to the closet. Two pairs of eyes are better than one after all.

"Sure thing, Shizuru-san." Mai moved passed me and began to shift through the hanging clothes. She glanced at me. "I see you've decorated a little. Green is a nice color."

I gazed around the white walled room. There were pictures of green forests and accents in shades of green. "Yes. The color is good if there isn't a lot of it in a room. I certainly wouldn't paint it that way though."

She snorted. "Yeah right. I'm sorry Shizuru-san, but you've got it bad for that biker that we met last week."

"Ara, whatever do you mean by that? She has such pretty eyes; it's not a bad thing to be inspired by them." I know that I've got a massive crush on my mysterious Snow White, but I had hoped that I wasn't that obvious about it.

She gave me a look. "Shizuru-san! Stop lying to me. I was there when you first met her." She paused and shivered. I gave her a suspicious glance, but held my peace. "I can understand why you'd be so infatuated with her. The woman is gorgeous. And that voice is pure sexiness. When she looks at you with those eyes, it's almost as though she looks straight through you. Super intense, you know? I'm straight and she even gave me ideas." Mai gave me a shrug and carried on with the clothes.

Yup, that pretty much sums up what I felt, except for the straight part. Sighing, I bent down and retrieved my boots from the bottom of the closet and began making my way over to the couch.

"Yes, I just wish I knew her name. Those friends of hers didn't even call her by her name. It was either 'Noob-tsuki' or 'Noobi'." A low chuckle escaped my lips as I thought of the witty banter between my crush and the tall handsome brunette, Chie. With the pretty blue eyed brunette Aoi, one would think that the trio was from some sort of modeling agency, not a surveillance company.

"Yup. She never gave me her name either, and Chie called her Noob-tsuki, too." Mai paused and scrunched up her face, giving me a questioning gaze. "What does Noobi mean by the way? I'm good with English but for some reason American slang eludes me."

"Honestly, I am not sure. I think it means something like rookie, but a little more derogatory. It's probably not so bad, though."

"Oh, I guess so… Ah! Found them!" The shorts were pulled out and shoved enthusiastically in my face. I took them.

"Ookini! You're a life saver, Mai."

Mai puffed out her already ample chest and lifted her chin. "You're welcome. Alright, I think I hear the first of the customers. I'd better get back to the bar. Gotta be perfect tonight, it's gonna be hoppin' in here."

She ran around the back end of the couch, only pausing to give me a half hug from behind and a whispered "Good Luck," before bolting out the door.

I waited a couple seconds. Mai tends to like to come back for more conversation

Right on cue, there was a knock at the door before it was opened a crack. Mai's orange hair flashed when she popped her head in. "Maybe miss biker chick will be here. It is the first official use of the new camera system after all." She grinned and gave me a wink before retreating from my dressing room.

Chuckling, I went about getting ready for the night. I lined up all of the costumes in order, for easier switches between routines. When I came to the last one, I recalled the last conversation that I had with my biker.

"_Viola, you said you were having trouble selecting the music for your last piece, right?" The raven haired beauty leaned on her helmet. It was resting on the table that she had been guarding. The newly installed camera was silently watching over us._

"_Yes, do you have something in mind?" I locked eyes with her. Those viridians were so warm; they made me feel incredibly safe. It was crazy, I know, but in the short time that I'd known the young woman, she gave out such an air of calm certainty that was infectious. _

"_Yup, but you'll have to give me something in return." She gave me a half grin as she straightened and flowed towards me. _

_I swallowed, calming my flaring libido. That predatory grace had come out again, reminding me of her little prank she had pulled on me. She was planning something. "What is this thing that you want?"_

"_A kiss" Grey silk flowed over me. _

_My breath hitched as she had planted herself in my personal space. Oil, leather, and the smell of clean open air wafted in my direction. _

Too close! Too close! _The warning bells were going off in my head. Naturally, I ignored them._

"_A hefty price for so small a thing. But I shall give it. What is the song?" I was proud that my singsong cadences came through even when I spoke in English._

_Forest colored eyes closed as she shook her head. "No, dear princess. I wish to give you a kiss, if I may. A knight should never ask anything of a princess." Those eyes sparkled with amusement when they opened again._

"_Ara, I give you permission, my knight." I played along. It was all I could do to keep myself from losing my control. _

"'_Stereo Love' by Edward Maya. And wear red, it'll bring out the color of your eyes. It's a slower song, but still moves. The way you move, well, I'm just saying that it suits you." _

_She leaned in, my eyes moved from her eyes to those inviting lips. Her fingers brushed against mine, then grasped my hand gently. I gasped as her thumb brushed against the healing wounds on my wrist. Our hands suddenly came between us as she brought them up. Soft lips brushed oh so lightly against the back of my hand, her powerful gaze still locked on my own eyes. My eyelashes fluttered at the contact and heat spread from my hand through my body. _

"_I must leave now, milady, but I thank you for keeping me company through the duration of my task." With that last sentiment, she gently dropped my hand, spun around and walked back to grab her helmet. With one last glance towards me, the raven haired woman left the club. Only the sound of a motorcycle roaring to life shook me out of my revelry._

"_Ikezu."_

I had to shake myself of the heat that was coursing through me. Good lord! The woman was a charmer and didn't even know it. She would blush furiously at any complement directed at her but could dish out the sweetest things.

My reflection in the mirror stared back at me. Yup, I look great. My hair was swept up into a ponytail with half of it hanging loose. My already long eyelashes were darkened with mascara and only a small amount of shadow and liner was applied to give my crimson eyes extra pop. I didn't apply any more makeup because I'd be sweating it off shortly.

Music had invaded my room. I listened, trying to pick out the song that would signal for the servers to get ready for 'Just Dance'. Nao had already set that song up, so I hurried over to the door, making sure to pick up the key on the way out. After opening up the door I nodded to Tate; he normally works on the surveillance team, but Anh had assigned him to watch my door.

"Knock-em dead, Viola-san." He took the key that I held up and quickly pocketed it.

I laughed and gave him a quick pat on the shoulder before sweeping passed him. "You know I usually have a couple of casualties a week." I called back as I found the backstage entrance. His chuckles followed me to the stage.

"Ladies and Gentlemen." Nao purred into the loudspeaker. "I know you've all been waiting all week for this. So let's welcome Viola-sama back!" She paused for the boisterous cheering.

My nerves skyrocketed as I looked at the others back here waiting with me. Some gave me thumbs up and winks. I smiled back.

The cheering died down, "Alright, alright, you crazies! Remember you can join in the dance, just stay off the tables! Now Juuuusst Daannce!"

The curtain was thrown open, Lady Gaga filtered through the speakers, and I moved. The crowd roared as they saw me come out. With adrenaline pumping through my system, I worked through the steps, adding extra snaps and smoothness when required.

* * *

_The HiMe Star_ was alive with party goers. Music was the heartbeat and people moved to its rhythm. Alcohol was its lifeblood. So far, the evening was a complete success. It was strange but nice not being forced to deal with as many drunken advances.

I spotted JUN on the way back to the stage from my dressing room, having changed into my last outfit for the night. He was peaking around the curtains, checking out the floor for hot guys. Lucky it was a slow song; Nao had chosen it after a couple of very enthusiastic clubbers tried to get on stage to dance with me. It was her way of cooling people off.

"Hey, find new blood yet?"

He glanced at me before returning to where he was looking. "Yeah, there's that delicious looking young man next to the dance floor." I followed his eyes to a young black haired man dressed in tight leather pants and matching vest. His white collared shirt contrasted nicely with his midnight hair and dark tie.

"Oh. He is handsome, isn't he?" Despite his short stature, his straight shoulders and long lithe arms gave him a lean solidity. His hair was styled into spikes, and was parted to the side. His short dark bangs fell partially over one eye. And those eyes! Even from here I could tell they were a vivid blue, their color accented by the longest eyelashes I'd ever seen on a man.

Currently, his attention was taken up by the plethora of horny women trying to get into his pants. I let out a low chuckle as he jumped and quickly spun to his right. He shouted out something and shook a fist at the women who were behind him. The women just tittered at his antics. One girl, who had a black fedora on, tugged on his tie, effectively jerking him down to her face so she could steal a kiss. Onlookers in the mostly female crowd cheered and raised their drinks to their mouths for a sip. Huh, apparently they'd turned this into a drinking game. Each time a lady got a kiss from the dark haired prince, the rest would take a sip from their drinks. He returned the girl's kiss with some enthusiasm before grabbing the hat off her head and stuffing it on his own head. Okay, that was confusing; girls usually pull that little trick off.

JUN must have noticed the confused look on my face. "That hat's his. The poor guy has had it taken from him like ten times tonight. The girls are learning that it's the only way he'd let them kiss him." He sighed. "Too bad he's straight. He's too hot for his own good."

I laughed and gave JUN a shoulder squeeze, "If all the hot ones were to fall for you, then we would start to have image issues."

The handsome man stepped away so he could eye me up and down, "Viola, I don't give women image issues; that's your forte. That outfit is smokin' hot. You're a freaking goddess, anyone with a pair of eyes can see that. Even I get affected by you and I'm as gay as they come!"

I had to blush at that, JUN hardly gives complements out like that. He's a hard task master and is as picky about his dancers' music as their fashion choices. For this song I had decided to leave my hair down. My outfit for 'Stereo Love' included a skin tight dark red leather vest that had plunged deeply, showing off my cleavage. The vest's bottom barely brushed the top of my belly button, showing off the piercing that I had gotten, and toned dancer's abs. The sarong was patterned in gold tones and dashes of crimson to match the top. It was long and flowing, giving a contrast to the tightness of my top. It also was perfect to tease with; I could flash my legs out, only letting my onlookers get a peek at them before moving them back under the light cloth. I loved the high heeled strappy sandals that I had chosen for this costume, the straps ended just above the ankle and could be tightened so I could pull off the complicated dance moves that JUN had planned for me.

"That song is pure genius, even if it's not my favorite. Your body moves so well with it. Who did you say suggested you use this song?" JUN was initially surprised at my choice at first but had to agree with it.

"That intern who came in to work on the new surveillance system. Remember, on Monday, they had come in to install the cameras?"

"And this intern figured out how you moved after only talking with him for, what, two hours?" JUN was incredulous.

"She was rather observant. She even suggested that I wear red, to bring out the color in my eyes."

JUN snorted. "So this girl has the balls -."

He was interrupted by Nao's voice. "For any of you who aren't completely inebriated at this point, I would like to announce that this next song will be the last one that our lovely and handsome servers will be joining us in." A smattering of boos answered her. "This one will be a solo dance performed by our star, Viola!" Cheers interrupted the boo-birds. "Yeah, I thought you'd like that."

JUN pushed me towards the stage, giving me a light tap on the ass for luck. I glided over to the middle, waiting for the curtains to rise.

"Here's the send -off you've all been waiting for!" Nao announced as the curtains rose to leave me on stage. She slowly turned up the song.

I began swaying my hips on point with the song. The accordion and I fought the smooth keyboards and the seductive singing. I teased out a leg here and there. Arms slowly moved around and above me and my hands moved in small circles. When the accordion faded out I turned and spun with the liquid beat. The accordion came on again and instead of joining it, I continued my soft seduction of the crowd. Finally, I allowed my upper body to fall under the accordion's spell but continued to slowly sway my hips, mimicking a belly dancer. As the music came to an end I gave one last swaying half turn raising one hand to the ceiling and throwing my head back. The lights fell and only the stage lights shone, giving the audience a view of my silhouetted back.

The curtains fell and silence enveloped me. I turned to JUN, who had run up to me. His dark brown eyes glittered in the dark.

"So, did I do well?"

"Well? Well? You were marvelous! I think I saw like five people faint!"

The crowd came out of its stupor as JUN was about to say something else. Whistles and cheers roared through the club. They started to chant my name. I had to go back out there.

Grabbing one of the wireless microphones out of its dock on the side of the stage, I entered the stage coming slowly from stage left.

Nao spotted my slow form and reintroduced me. I had to hand it to her; she was sharp and could ad-lib with the best of them. When I reached center stage I gave them a deep bow. I held it for a little while, subtly giving the crowd a chance to calm down.

I straightened and brought the Mic to my lips. "Thank you so much for coming to _The HiMe Star_." I spoke softly, letting some of my singsong accent come into play. They quieted at the sound of my voice. They always did. "Everyone did a great job! Especially the DJ, Let's all give DJ Nao a big round of applause. Without her great skills, the dancers wouldn't be able to do anything." I paused, letting the enthusiastic applause go on.

JUN had already guessed what I was up to and had gathered as many of the dancers that he could. I glanced at JUN and he had the dancers file out on stage. The applause got louder as the crowd guessed what was going on.

When all the dancers were behind me, I spoke up again. "Let me introduce you to all of our dancers. Feel free to give them some thanks as they come around with your drinks. They worked hard!"

Everyone had a great time being introduced and interacting with the crowd, so I took the opportunity to slip off the stage. Anh had come out of her office and fell into step beside me.

"That was your best dance!" She exclaimed. "I can't believe you would dance to something like that. It was almost too sexy."

"Well, it was kind of a request and the person who requested it was highly complementary." I said lightly. I told Anh all about my Snow White, but I left that little tidbit out.

Anh and I whipped our heads at the loud crashing sound near the stage entrance. It seems like a clubber had gotten on the stage and past JUN. It looked like he had pushed JUN through the door and was climbing over the dazed man. Head snapping back and forth in the long hallway, his mouth dropped when he spotted us.

"Viola-chan!" He exclaimed as he walked towards us. Anh stepped in front of me, using her longer frame as a shield.

"Sir, this is an employee's only area. For your safety, I must ask that you leave." Anh took an authoritative tone.

Knowing that if I spoke the situation could get worse, I huddled behind Anh. Grabbing the material of her shirt, I gently tugged her backwards as I took my own step back. We'd practiced this before, it was like a tactical retreat.

"All I want is an autograph from Viola-chan." He pleaded. Tate had moved from his post by my door and placed himself between us and the crazed man.

Tate adopted a genial tone and tapped the man's shoulder, "C'mon buddy, let's get back on the dance floor. There's gotta be some more hot chicks out there."

Without warning, the man struck Tate with his fist. Anh and I jumped. We had reached the door as the man bore down on us. I jiggled the handle.

"Anh. The idiot didn't make sure to unlock the door! Do you have your spare?" My voice was calm and lilting even as my brain was going into overdrive.

The man paused and sighed, "The voice of an angel." Shaking himself he advanced again.

When he reached us, Anh had given me her spare set of keys but I couldn't get to the correct key on time. Anh pressed me into the wood of the door. I balled up my fist with the keys in it- they could be useful.

"Aw. Come on lady, I just want to talk to Viola-chan." He pleaded with her.

Anh let loose a very unladylike snort and said, "Sir, you are not authorized to speak with the dancers back here-" The man's face contorted and he backhanded her to the side.

Immediately, his expression switched back to a puppy like longing when he took in my face. Schizophrenia, perhaps?

I straightened and looked at him defiantly, "Please leave. I will not sign anything for you. I do not know you and most certainly do not wish to speak with you after you hurt my friends." Glancing at Anh, I noticed that she was stunned but still conscious.

He shivered, "Such red eyes. Like blood. So pretty…" I pressed against the door preparing to jab him in the throat with my fistful of keys.

A bright red blur pounced on my assailant. Then a young man with black hair positioned himself in front of me, and in his hand was a wicked looking knife. Snarls from the fight on the floor reached my ears. Curiously I poked my head above the black haired man's shoulder. Gasping in shock, I watched as Nao gave my potential mugger a sharp jab to his face with the heel of her palm. His head snapped back and bounced off the floor. He stopped moving after that.

My new shield relaxed, his knife disappearing under his leather vest. He poked his ear and began to speak to the air. "Crazy bastard subdued." His voice was a low growl, tinged with a slight American accent.

"Ya, know mutt, you could've helped." Nao complained as she stood up and dusted herself off.

The young man went ridged and shouted in English, "You freaking dumbass! Why the hell are you the damn DJ? If I had known that you were DJ-ing, I would've brought more backup!" He definitely was from the States, as his accent was straight out of _Gone with the Wind._

Nao got into his face, hissing something like she was too short to see anything through the crowd. They were so into their argument that they had forgotten about me and the man's other three victims. I cleared my throat and tapped the man's shoulder. He whirled around, and I found myself looking into the deepest blue eyes I had ever seen. They weren't a perfect blue though; green swam in their depths, a beautiful blend of the two colors.

"Ara, I believe you should call for the EMT. Anh, Tate, and JUN might need help." I murmured softly in English. He was searching my face for something, those odd eyes intense yet kind.

He blinked and turned to help Anh stand up. I went about my business of opening up my dressing room door. When I pushed it open, I turned to find Anh leaning on my rescuers shoulder.

"Could you bring her in here to let her rest?" I asked. It seems like Nao had already called for backup because the EMTs had arrived to look after Tate. JUN was sitting by the stage door and talking animatedly to one of the security personnel who had escorted the medics back here.

Silently he led her to my couch and gently guided her to sit. One of the EMTs hurriedly pushed his way through and began to fuss over Anh, whose face was red where the crazed man had hit her. I watched, fascinated as my young savior began to prowl about the room. His pretty face was set in a slight scowl. Suddenly, I gasped, recognizing him as the man who JUN had pointed out to me earlier.

He stilled, and I shivered as his piercing gaze snapped to my face. Slowly, he flowed in my direction. "Are you okay, Miss Viola?" He asked softly in a low, smooth husk. He still spoke in English.

I gave him a smile, responding in kind, "Yes, I am well, if a little shaken. Thank you. I simply recognized you from the crowd."

He offered me a careless grin, teeth flashing, "You're welcome. I'm sorry we didn't get here fast enough. I, um, was kind of held up, and Nao had to come from the DJ's nest." He was most likely hindered by the horde of horny, drunk women that had swarmed him earlier.

Raising a hand to my mouth to hide my giggle I asked, "It's alright. Tell me, dear prince, where is your hat?"

He let out a soft barking laugh and reached a hand behind his head to rub at his neck. "Well, someone took it during your dance and I haven't been able to find it yet."

"Ara. That's too bad, it was a lovely hat."

"Well, I'd sacrifice the hat anytime to see you dance like that again." Suddenly his voice was a little shy, like he was embarrassed about being too forward with me. Cute.

"Flattery will get you nowhere, prince." I half sang out, preparing to tease him. A sudden thought stopped me in my tracks, though. "How discourteous of me, you stepped in to help and yet I haven't asked you your name yet." I wasn't going to make the same mistake twice.

He held out his hand between us, "I am Misaki Kruger, Miss Viola. Anh has assigned me to you to act as your bodyguard. It's nice to meet you, even if it was under trying circumstances."

It was difficult to explain, but I had taken an almost instant liking to him. Perhaps it was because he didn't treat me like I was an object to be admired or lusted after.

_Your name certainly suits you, Misaki-kun_. The thought raced through my head as I eyed him from head to toe. He was beautiful; it's too bad that he was a man. I smiled at the earnest expression that adorned his face. _He is_ _just like a puppy, eager to please his new master, so adorable._

I held out a hand. "Shizuru Fujino. Good Luck. You, my handsome friend are certainly going to need it."

* * *

**AN: Another long chapter! Whoot. **

**Yes Misaki is generally a girl's name and Shizuru interpreted it as such (****美****咲****- meaning beautiful bloom)****. However, it can be written in hiragana, which has no meaning thus making it a nice boys name too. **

**Like always I gotta give props to Athena S. my beta! Any mistakes are because of me and not her.**

**Reviews are always welcome**


	3. Mermaid Found

_Mermaid Found_

_So Hot! _

It was the middle of July and all I could think was how to keep my body cool. Japanese summers can be brutal. It was still earlyand yet I could imagine my face melting as soon as I stepped out of my nicely air-conditioned apartment. Thank God for AC_._

I was eagerly getting my 'Misaki face' ready to go so I could meet up with Shizuru and Takumi at Fuuka beach. One of my issues with this summer is that I am spending more of my time as Misaki. In order for me to pull off being a male, there is no way I can wear shorts or a tank by itself. Binding my breasts hurt and I would have to tighten them further to hide them under the thinner material of a tank top. As for wearing the shorts, well I know I don't have man legs. There is no way in hell that I'd stop shaving my legs. Nope, not going to happen.

I nodded at my reflection and took my helmet off its table near the door. My hand was resting on the doorknob when my pocket vibrated. Pulling out cell I took a quick peek at the caller ID.

"Hello, Anh."

"Hey Natsuki. Are you ready for your beach date?" Anh asked from the other line, amusement evident in her voice.

"Yes, actually. It's going to be nice to talk to Shizuru outside of the Star." Our conversation carried on as I reached the stairs, "And it's not a date. Takumi is showing Shizuru off to his friends. I'm just there to keep them in line."

Anh chuckled. "Anyways, Shizuru is quite fond of you. I can't believe it but you have managed to earn her trust so fast. It's been about a month since you've been her bodyguard and she's already getting back to her old self."

"Can't help it if I'm cute." I said as I reached the ground floor and maneuvered through the apartment's storage area to my door. Shizuru's mood was probably due to the decreasing number of stupid-induced incidents at the club. Chie and Nao were correct in their assumption that a male bodyguard was more of a deterrent than a female one, especially in a club full of drunken people who were mostly male.

As for Shizuru's game, well, she found out that Misaki was guarding her. She didn't know that the man was actually a woman named Natsuki. She still had to find that out for herself. I was secretly dreading the day that happened.

Musical laughter filled the speaker. A slow grin formed on my lips; Anh was just one of those people whose good mood was infectious. She was saying something but I was distracted with opening up the storage door. Probably something about keeping my hands to myself.

"Uh-huh." I said absently, not really knowing what I agreed to. So absorbed I was in wrestling open the stubborn door, I didn't notice the tall brunette sidling up behind me. Soft yet strong arms wrapped themselves around me from behind. Full breasts flattened against my back as a lithe body snuggled into me

"Ara. Is Mi-sa-ki already cheating on me? Ikezu." Shizuru's honey toned voice tickled the hair on the back of my neck, cooling my heated skin. My breath hitched and blood began to make its way towards my face.

Anh's voice filtered out of the speaker, "Ah, she's there already. Take care of Misaki-kun for me Shizuru."

I let out a growl that was stifled when Shizuru's fingers played across the plane of my stomach. _Still killing Anh when I see her next. _I thought even though those light touches were distracting me in very pleasant ways.

"So Misaki is seeing Anh nee-chan behind my back? Shall I tell Laula-chan?" She had managed to snake her hand up from its place on my tummy to take my phone from my limp one and placed it to her ear. Her cheek rested against mine as she laid her chin on my shoulder. The light breeze caught her scent, which was a mix of tea and lavender.

Holy shit, this woman! Every time we've met for the past week or so, Shizuru has made it a mission of hers to find ways to embarrass the hell out of me. Anh explained Shizuru's actions as her way of showing her affection. She must like me a lot then.

Long graceful fingers brushed against my upper thigh, replacing the pilfered cell phone and her arms slid away from my body. "Misaki, you're so cute when flustered, but we really have to get going. Takumi-kun and his friends are probably waiting for us." Shizuru playfully scolded as she glided over to my bikes.

Shaking myself of the really dirty thoughts that were racing through my head, I let out a small huff before grinning. "Alright, Alright. We'll get there on time, just don't scream like a girl." Shizuru hated motorcycles for some reason.

Walking over to the silver Dulcati and taking out the spare helmet from its compartment, I tossed it at Shizuru. She fluidly caught the helmet and stepped back to give me room to maneuver the bike. Her elegant eyebrows rose as she looked between me and the powerful motorcycle.

"I see Misaki likes to accessorize with large things."

Quirking one of my eyebrows in question I looked at the silver bike then back at my own attire for the day. A short burst of laughter escaped me when I realized that I was wearing a loose silvery button up tee shirt over my tank top. I had even chosen to wear my metallic Oakley sunglasses. It was pure coincidence that I'd match today.

"Shizuru, you hardly miss anything, don you." I leaned over and stowed Shizuru's large beach bag in the bike's seat storage, shutting it with a snap.

"Oh, I miss a lot of things, but this was rather obvious. Silver suits you, though. Not many people can pull off that color." Shizuru's humble tone came from behind me as I had turned and already mounted the machine.

I snorted, mostly at her humility, but also for the compliment. Swiveling my head, I glanced at her outfit for the day before I swung back to turn the key on the motorcycle. The large engine roared to life.

She didn't look so bad herself. She was wearing a coral colored sun dress that had a floral pattern. The dress was cut off at the hips, which left her mid drift bare. A white linen jacket was tied off just above her navel, covering a bikini top that was the same color as her dress. Her honey brown hair was tied in a high pony tail, revealing a long graceful neck. Overall, while her choice in attire was not overly revealing, it left nothing to the imagination either.

"You look great as always. Now hop on, we've gotta teach those kids some English. Remember. Don't scream."

My smile grew into a devilish grin as the motorcycle shifted under me. Again, Shizuru wrapped her arms around my waist, tightening as I revved the engine.

"Ready?" Without waiting for an answer, I pulled on the throttle, giving the bike a burst of speed. A short yelp came from behind me as we jolted forward, her arms squeezing me almost painfully.

* * *

We pulled up to _The Grill_, an American style barbeque shop that was on the boardwalk of Fuuka beach, only ten minutes late. It was famous for its huge burgers, and the boys loved eating there. Shizuru stumbled off the bike and took her helmet off, shaking out her hair in the meantime. I chuckled at her glare; her crimson eyes blazed with incredulous anger.

"Shizuru is so cute when she's flustered"

With that her eyes burned even brighter as she reared back and threw the helmet at me with all her might. I caught it, wincing at the jarring impact, thinking that I may have gone too far. Seriously, I did warn her that I was going to drive fast! How else were we going to get here somewhat on time?

"Ikezu, Misaki. You know that I hate these death machines!" Her Kyoto accent had become more pronounced. "Takumi and his friends are waiting! Move it!" On that note, Shizuru spun around and marched resolutely towards the front doors of the restaurant.

I swore under my breath and scrabbled off the bike, chucking the two helmets in the storage under the passenger's seat after pulling out Shizuru's bag. With quick, practiced movements I slammed the seat back in its place and locked it, keys vanishing into one of my cargo pockets, before jogging to catch up to my upset companion.

"Hey. Hey! Wait up! Look I'm-"

Shizuru stopped so suddenly that I nearly ran her over. Back rigidly straight, she turned so she could glare up into my eyes. "That was uncalled for, Misaki." That smooth voice was soft but laced with hard steel. I assumed that she was talking about my flippant comment. As much as she was angry, I could see that she was still fighting off her fear.

I looked down in shame. I should have known better - if Shizuru readily admitted to anything like her fear of motorcycles, then it would be wise to pay attention. Sometimes, it's hard to remember that Shizuru's as human as the rest of us.

Taking a deep breath and turning wide sad eyes back to her face I said forlornly, "I am sorry, Shizuru. I know you don't like motorcycles, yet I purposefully drove fast to scare you. I'm an idiot."

The crimsons softened and she gave me a small smile. One of her hands found its way into my hair and started to ruffle it. "If that was for my teasing earlier, then you could have told me to stop. You are forgiven. You're too cute to be upset with for long." A low melodious chuckle escaped her lips and her hand dropped from my hair. Suddenly I wished that she had just been playing with my actual hair.

Tilting her head thoughtfully, she murmured, mostly to herself. "Those puppy eyes are lethal."

I grunted in surprise, glad that I had been forgiven, at Shizuru's use of Anh's earlier words. My brain finally caught up with what Shizuru was saying (I was too distracted by our closeness and the way her hand ran through my fake hair). _Shit. Natsuki, you're an ass_.

I unconsciously brushed back the fall of hair that fell over her shoulder. "Shizuru, I don't mind that you tease me, it's part of who you are. Besides -"

"Kyah!"

Freezing at the sudden squeals, I turned my head to the pair of high school girls that had just exited the building. They were tittering on about how romantic I was and how Shizuru should forgive me my indiscretion. The girls' eyes grew large with admiration as I turned to fully face them. Butting into other people's business was rude!

Having sensed that I was going to do something drastic, Shizuru laced an arm around my own. She then gave the high school girls a sultry look that made them half swoon and burn bright red before turning us around and marching me into the restaurant.

We found Takumi and his two friends in the outside dining area. Since the restaurant was nestled on the beachside of the boardwalk, the proprietors had placed a group of benched tables on the sand inside a low, fenced off portion of the beach. Colorful awnings covered the wood giving restaurant patrons a nice shady place to eat their burgers.

Even though I never have met the young man, I knew exactly who Takumi was by the descriptions provided by Shizuru and Mai. Although, he stood out because he was pale and wane despite the strong sun bearing down on the beach. He spotted us first as we were making our way through the benches, and jumped up, excitedly racing to meet us.

"Shizuru nee-chan! It's been so long since I've seen you!" He skidded to a stop, sending sand flying at our legs. The boy's bright purple eyes sparkled happily, and he was grinning like a fool.

Shizuru pulled her arm away from mine so she could pull Takumi into a warm hug. She beamed as she embraced him "Ara, Ara, Takumi is like a little boy, so cute in his enthusiasm. I am flattered that he thinks so highly of me."

I watched the interaction in awe. She truly shined; it was as though all of her masks slipped away when she dealt with the teen. Thinking back, I realized that she was only so unguarded around Mikoto and Arika. She was probably the same way with Anh, but I never saw it.

"Nee-chaaan!" Takumi half whined as he realized that he was being hugged in public by a very beautiful young woman. People were staring, and more than a few were smiling indulgently at the cute scene, thinking that the boy's big sister was sweet.

Shizuru chuckled, sensing that Takumi was worried about his cool factor being obliterated. She pulled away from the teen, but not before placing a soft kiss on his forehead. A chorus of "Aw's" sounded from the surrounding tables. "How are you feeling, Takumi? Is school going well?" Her voice was soft and serious.

Takumi blushed slightly at the show of affection from the pretty heiress. "I am well. School's been fun and my English class is getting easier to understand, thanks to you…" he trailed off shyly, before finally spotting me. He stepped between Shizuru and me, taking up a defensive posture, scowling up at me.

"Who are you?" He asked belligerently.

Folding my arms in front of me and straightening to my full height I raised an eyebrow at him. Mai said he had done this with all of her potential suitors, too. Considering that he viewed Shizuru as an adopted sister, his actions were not unexpected. It was rather adorable, in a "little brother" kind of way. As I was trying really hard to find an explanation for my presence, Shizuru came to the rescue. Again.

"Ara, he is my personal bodyguard. His name is Misaki. Anh nee-chan hired him and today is the first day he is coming with me outside the club. Do not worry, my virtue is safe with him." She ruffled his chestnut hair playfully, while challenging me with her eyes.

I raised my brow at her expression, knowing full well that any comment on my part would be fodder for her teasing. So, deciding that retreat is the better part of valor, I looked down at Takumi, giving him a lopsided grin. "Hello, there, Takumi-kun. I'm Fujino-san's bodyguard for the time being. Mai-san told me to say hi. I hope that we can be good friends."

He snorted skeptically, before grabbing Shizuru's hand and pulled her towards his two friends. I followed and had to choke back a laugh as the two boys unconsciously jumped to their feet when they saw Shizuru coming at them.

"Hello Fujino-sama! I am pleased to meet you!" The boys sputtered out and bowed simultaneously. It was too much, I burst out laughing, clutching at my stomach as I slid onto the bench opposite the two teens.

Shizuru promptly smacked the back of my head, effectively shutting me up. "Hello boys. Forgive my friend here, he has no manners." She smiled sweetly as she sat down next to me. "And please call me Shizuru. It will be good practice for your English. Please sit down and relax, I don't bite."

_Ha! Yeah, right._

"This is Touki, he's in my class." Takumi gestured at the lanky black haired boy on his right. Then nodding to the one on his left, he spoke again. "Daiki is a year younger but is in advanced English because his family lived in Canada for a while."

"This," he waved at me with a lazy hand, "is Misaki, he's Shizuru's bodyguard. You can ignore him, he's just here to look pretty."

I watched as Takumi made introductions, ignoring the rude way he had introduced me. I shrugged knowing he was being protective.

Pulling out a note pad and pencil out of her bag, Shizuru started her session. "Okay, I'm going to start the lesson now. But I will warn you, there will be no Japanese spoken for the next half an hour. We are just going to talk. I'll write down anything that I think needs work. Then, we'll go over anything that you have questions on."

"Okay," She switched to English and turned to Takumi. "How was your day today, Takumi?" Letting Takumi take the lead, she eventually had all three boys chatting excitedly about a wide range of topics. I had to hand it to her, other than the occasional comment or questions of her own, she let the boys stumble their way through their English. On some occasions, the boys would have trouble pronouncing a word, and the tawny haired woman would have them repeat it until it sounded respectable. She was always smiling encouragingly.

I was only half listening to the boy's playful banter over their favorite soccer teams when I realized that the number of people looking at us had grown. Some people were blatantly staring, while others were trying to be discreet. A few brave souls began to make their way to our table. As they neared the table, I sent them my patented glare. Of course they decided not to accost us and went on their merry way.

The girls were the worst of the gawkers though, mostly because many of them were not affected at all by my glare. They would come around in packs whispering about the elegant Shizuru or my dark good looks. One group even crept up to our table and practically pushed one of their own at me.

"H-Here! Onii-sama!" The girl stuttered out while shoving a white flower in my face. I was startled and almost told her off. Noticing my tension, Shizuru placed a hand on my back. I threw her a look over my shoulder that screamed "Help." Raising a brow at my silent plea she shook her head and sent me a warm smile. Message received and understood, chief. I swung back around to look at the trembling girl, noticing that she was only about a year younger than I.

"Why thank you, princess." I purred as I deftly plucked the flower out of her hands. Giving it a sniff, I gave her a sad look. "However much I love this thoughtful gift, I cannot accept it, knowing that it will look much better on you." I reached out a hand and brushed back her hair, gently placing the flower behind her ear. Leaning back to my original position, I pretended to inspect my handy work.

"Beautiful."

The girl dropped like a rock and the ones closest to her had to catch her before she hit her head. The rest simply sighed and fanned their faces with whatever they had on hand. I gave them a theatrical bow from my seated position, bidding them farewell. Some of them gasped while the others squealed out "So Hot!" before giving me hasty bows and retreating.

I turned back to the table and sipped at my milk shake not realizing the English conversation had been cut off as the boys stared at me with a mixture of awe and respect.

"Whoa."

"Awesome."

"Cool."

I smirked. Hell, I didn't even know I had that effect on girls. This was the first time that I actually flirted with any of my admirers. Sure, I would give kisses here and there, simply out of frustration (For most of the girls at the club, for instance, a kiss was enough to make them go away). Well, that was kind of fun. I decided to impart some wisdom on the boys, too.

"Remember though, guys. Doing something like that to a girl is okay, only if you are flirting. Never use it on someone to get them in bed. Got it?" My blue green gaze sternly went to each boy before I looked at Shizuru. Although she was smiling pleasantly at the boys, gauging their reactions, she shifted her eyes to mine when she felt my gaze on her face. I quirked an eyebrow to drive my point home. Her eyes widened as I continued to stare. Finally, her silvery laughter filled the air as my advice sank in.

"Yes, boys, Misaki is correct. Charming a girl like that is only good if you simply wish to flirt." She gave me a devilish grin. "A warning though, some girls are even better at the art than you are. Be prepared." With that comment she allowed me to join in on the second half of the English session, knowing that I was more fluent than she was.

Our English conversation was interrupted once again about 20 minutes later. A group of foreign men had noticed our rather animated discussion on the new summer movies that we all wanted to see. Of course, they had also noticed Shizuru and all of her glorious curves as well. She had taken off her jacket to cool off and now her upper body was only covered by the bikini top. One of them sauntered up to my side of the table (I insisted that Shizuru take the inside seat which was next to the fence) and leaned over me to leer at the tawny haired beauty before speaking up in English.

"Hey babe, do you wanna hang out with some real men?" His breath washed over me. It reeked of alcohol. _Eww, drinking at one in the afternoon? You've got a problem buddy. _I lazily looked him up and down, knowing that Shizuru could handle the jerk.

"Ara, sir. Please remove your hand from the table. My friends and I were having a wonderful time. I am sure we can get along without you." Her voice was filled with a soft command.

"But, sweetheart. I don' wanna go and I love your accent."

Shizuru glanced at the intimidated boys, trying to buy some time to think. The drunken man was fairly large, but I've seen bigger dudes at the FBI. Takumi and his friends have rarely come in contact with large, drunk, western guys.

The man wasn't drunk enough to miss the beauty's glance, so he turned to sneer down at the boys. "I see you like young meat, what are they, like twelve?"

I bristled, getting ready to defend the kids. _Sure, they look so young because you're scaring_ _the peas out of them, Dumbass._ A soft growl was stifled when Shizuru place a hand on my knee. She obviously wanted to solve this herself.

"Sir, the boys have nothing to do with you, so stop bullying them." Her well-shaped stomach flashed in front of my face as she gracefully pushed to her feet. I raised my face to her eyes. They had hardened into sharp rubies. Her polite smile was set, never faltering since the man arrived. If the moron was looking at her eyes and not at her rather impressive breasts, he'd probably think twice about his manners.

My lips pulled into a sneer as I thought of the Heart song: _If looks could kill, you'd be lyin' on the floor, sayin' Please, Please baby don't hurt me no more!'_

The man stared lustily at Shizuru's body, his excitement becoming obvious. I grimaced, but I had to keep an eye on him, in case he was going to do something stupid.

"Mmm. You're so hot. I can't wait to get you alone. The things I could do to you." He started to gyrate his hips. "I bet you sound even hotter when you're all bothered."

That's it. My temper flared. This was a family restaurant and he was propositioning her like she was some cheap whore.

Growling I tapped his arm. "Look buddy, my girlfriend is a lady, so please treat her as such. If you can't do that much then move on." Thankfully, the voice alternator made my huskiness even more menacing than usual. I moved to get into his face to make my point clear, but Shizuru stopped me with a hand on my shoulder.

"Pretty boy is on a leash, boys. Guess he doesn't have the balls to keep the bitch in line." His pals sniggered in the background, enjoying the show. Shizuru's hand squeezed my shoulder, feeling my whole body stiffen. I was ready to attack him for his comment about her. No one calls Shizuru a bitch in front of me and gets away with it.

"Leave now, before I have the police come." The sultry tones of her Kyoto accent were leaking into her English. Boy was she pissed. Even though that tone was intimate, there was something about it that made the man finally stop raping her with his eyes. I wasn't surprised when he flinched away from her, noticing the color of her eyes for the first time.

"This bitch is a freak! Her eyes are red, like blood!" He yelled. "Well I can still fuck her brains out, she doesn't need to open her eyes for that. Do ya freak?" He muttered almost to himself.

Oh this man was so dead. Shizuru gasped and began to tremble. Lethal stillness came over me as I noted his positioning. Dumbass had almost his entire body weight resting on one leg and arm that was pressing into the table. My leg snapped out, kicking the back of his knee, causing his leg to buckle. At the same time my hand chopped at the crook of his arm stunning the buddle of nerves that gathered there, the appendage went dead and he started to fall. I moved out from under Shizuru's slack hand to grab a fist full of hair, helping his face slam into the table. A sickening crack echoed through the now silent eating area; I hoped I had broken his nose.

"Apologize! NOW!" Snarling fiercely into his ear, I brought his head back up so he could look into Shizuru's eyes. "DO NOT MOVE!" I shouted, sensing that his goons were going to try to rescue their leader. "I will beat the shit out of anyone who interferes. Do not even think to try me on this, boys."

A groggy "Go fuck yourself!" came from the man under me. Promptly, another crack sounded as I slammed his head into the table again. This time he howled his pain, and the crowd of onlookers winced at the sound.

Once more I wrenched his head up so he could face the beautiful woman. "Last time, you bastard. Apologize to her." I hissed. My entire body was rigid with the tension and I was probably boring holes into the man's skull with my eyes.

A soft hand pulled at my arm as its twin softly stroked at my cheek, guiding my eyes up to Shizuru's face. God, she's even more beautiful when she's sad. Her eyes shone a deep red, swirling with remembered pain. All the indigent rage rushed out of me as those beautiful eyes silently pleaded me to stop.

"That's enough. Your point has been made." She had switched back to Japanese, the rise and fall of her Kyoto accent evident as she tried to calm me down. Both of her hands cupped my cheeks now, fingers brushing at my temples.

The man slid off the table with a groan as I released him. I barely heard the cheers coming from the crowd of people as the gang grabbed their leader and slunk off. I was far too busy drowning in Shizuru's eyes. Without thinking I reached up a hand to cup her beautiful face, the pad of my thumb tracing itself under her eye, ready to catch any tears that we both knew wouldn't fall. They were there though, glistening in her pools of red. She leaned into my hand, grateful for the support.

"I don't care what anyone says, Shizuru. You have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. Not simply because of their color, but they are how you show your true self, Kaede-hime." I whispered in my scratched voice.

She closed her eyes. "Ookini. You are a dear friend, Misaki. I am grateful that you are my bodyguard."

I winced inwardly, suddenly wishing that I could show her who I was. I knew she had a crush on me since I had inadvertently charmed her when I was first at the club. I was attracted to her, yes, but I was simply trying to distract her enough so she would stop teasing me. Anh was delighted that her prediction had come true. When I asked her about Shizuru's infatuation with 'Snow White' Anh explained that I was one of the few people who was actually trying to get to know the lonely woman. I had made her laugh, even at my expense, and the topping on the cake was my asking permission to kiss her hand. Anh said that my lines were so charmingly corny that Shizuru couldn't say no.

I was broken from my thoughts by gagging noises emanating from the table. Playfully glaring at the three boys, I let my hand fall to my waist.

"Guys, don't use violence unless absolutely necessary." With that sage advice I turned to Shizuru, who had stepped over to the table and began to gather her things.

"I believe that our lunch has digested enough to go swimming, no?" Her eyes looked between the boys; they were clearly ready to put the whole incident behind us.

Daiki and Touki dashed out towards the open sand yelling that they'd get the best spot. Takumi hung back and looked worriedly at Shizuru. Getting the hint, I turned to find a small crowd of people hovering around a pair of police officers. My temper flared again.

_One of these voyeuristic idiots actually was smart enough to call the police, huh? _I thought scathingly as I stalked over to offer my name and account of the scuffle to the very late cavalry.

The officer I'd been talking to just finished taking down the descriptions of the bullies when Shizuru called out "Misaki, are you ready? The boys found a spot."

Eyes growing wide as he took in the sight of Shizuru in her bikini the officer asked, "Is that young lady your girlfriend?" At my nod, he whistled, "She is certainly a pretty thing. It's no wonder those punks tried to accost her. Did you really break one of their noses on your table?" Again I nodded. He shook his head, "Go ahead, kid. If I had a girl as pretty as her, I'd probably do the same thing. You're lucky that all I have so far are eyewitness accounts of the fight."

_Not that it was much of a fight. _"She's a remarkable woman. Far too many people objectify her because of her looks and I take offense to that." I looked at him with solemn eyes before striding over to my 'girlfriend' and Takumi. She wound her free arm around my waist and laid her head on my shoulder. We set out towards Daiki and Touki, Takumi trailing behind us. I didn't offer to take the heavy beach bag, knowing that she would only object.

It was four in the afternoon, but I could feel the heat of the sand burning through the large blanket that we had set out. A rented beach umbrella was perched on the corner of the blanket, hiding a small beverage cooler from the worst of the sun's rays. The boys brought the cooler with them, we had simply gone to the convenience store, bought our drinks and ice, and brought the whole thing back to a lounging Shizuru. I had dug out a small set of speakers from my motorcycle and attached my phone to them. Soft music drifted over me as I read from the book that I had brought with me. Right now Shizuru and her students were enjoying a game of water tag.

I sighed and dug my bare toes into the sand. My eyes drifted closed as I placed the open book on my chest. One arm cradled my head while the other held the book to my body.

Earlier, Takumi, Daiki, Touki and I spent about a half hour tossing around a Frisbee while Shizuru relaxed in the shade of the umbrella. She then called us over and practically demanded that we apply more sunscreen.

"Shizuru, it's gross! And besides, I'm not swimming!" I whined like a kid. Takumi snickered as he dutifully sprayed on the waterproof sunblock. "You know your sister won't let you out of her sight if you go back with more than a tan, so shut it." That shut him up

"Misaki is such a baby! I wouldn't want to see his soft white skin burned." She pouted. I couldn't resist that look, even if she was playing. I grudgingly held out an arm so she could work in the cream of her unscented sunblock. "As a reward, I will allow Misaki to help me put on my lotion. I'll certainly need help on my back."

"Shizuru!" I stiffened and blushed furiously at the thought of moving my hands on certain parts of her body.

"Ara. It looks like I was too late. Misaki's poor face is all red. He should make sure to put aloe on it so it doesn't peel." Her light giggles were punctuated by the teen's laughter.

"Damnit, woman! You can't help yourself, can you?"

Shizuru swatted my shoulder before chiding me. "Misaki. Language." I never understood why she was so hung up about swearing; she scolded everyone on their use of coarse language. Nao made it a mission of hers to get Shizuru worked up enough so that the tall woman would chase her around _The HiMe Star_. It was hilarious to see the svelte Shizuru charge at the younger woman after one of her creative ranting sessions. Nao could peel paint off walls with her tongue.

"There, done." Shizuru gave my forearm a pat before standing up and shedding her skirt. Her long legs carried her to the edge of the blanket and she gracefully lay down on her stomach. She had propped herself up on her elbows, effectively arching her back in a seductive pose.

"Wow."

I looked at Daiki and snorted. "Put your eyes back in your head, kid. She isn't going to stop if she knows she's got you."

"I don't want her to stop." The poor kid sounded dazed. Shizuru had swiveled her head to watch us and was sucking on the straw to her iced green tea. Her eyes were dancing with suppressed laughter.

I rolled my eyes and shifted so he would stop ogling her. "Kid, trust me. It isn't worth the trouble. Now go on, Takumi and Touki need a third person." My hands waved over to the two boys currently playing volleyball in the water. He left, albeit reluctantly.

"You've really gotta stop teasing those kids, Shizuru." I turned back to Shizuru, who had twisted back to look ahead of her, idly watching a gaggle of girls creating a sandcastle.

"It's far too much fun." She twitched as the cool cream touched the hot skin on her back. I guessed she was sensitive so I was careful not to move too gently. My hands firmly rubbed sunblock on the length of her back as I set about my task, not wanting to have her burn because I was too reluctant to touch her.

"May I ask you a question, Misaki?" Her voice betrayed her uneasiness.

"Yes, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. I was merely wondering why you called me Kaede-hime."

"You're sensitive about the color of your eyes, right?"?" She nodded still watching the growing sandcastle. "Well, they kind of remind me of the maple leaves when they change for the fall. So, that's why I called you that name." I paused at the gasp that she released. "I'm sorry, was I too forward?"

"No…" Her voice trailed off as she rolled on her side to look at me fully. "You are the second person who has spoken of my eyes in that way. In fact she said it almost in the same way.

I haven't seen her since. "

_Crap._

Sheepishly, I rubbed at the nape of my neck. "Well, then she and I must have the same idea then. I'm sure that many people complement your eyes like that."

She huffed and bitterly said, "No, most won't even look at me in the eyes once they notice the color. While others react much like that vulgar man back there. Many more simply gawk like I am a circus freak."

I smiled gently. "Well, I am glad that she said that, she's got good taste then. I hope you can see her again." I held up my hands. "I'm finished by the way. You can get the rest on yourself, right?"

* * *

Cold water sprinkled on my face, causing me to yelp and bolt into a seated position. My book, which was opened to the page I was reading, slid off my chest and bounced on the blanket before closing. I lost my place.

"Touki!" I barked at the grinning sixteen year old. He knew better than to completely soak me while I was lying on the blanket, so he was flicking the water at my face. "Do you wanna live to see twenty?" He kept flicking the water at me. "Guess not."

I rolled to my feet, and steadily moved toward him. His mouth dropped and eyes widened as he realized that I was serious. With a yelp, he took off towards the breaking waves. Smart kid, he knew that I (well, Misaki at least) was not overly fond of the water. I sped after him, yelling all kinds of ridiculous threats at his back.

Suddenly, it hit me. Shizuru was nowhere to be found. Takumi and Daiki were still messing around in the surf, but she wasn't anywhere near them. "Takumi! Daiki! Touki! Where's Shizuru?" I had to yell over the crashing waves.

Touki skidded to a halt as he noticed the change in my tone, and then moved to join the others.

Takumi was the first to speak up. "I think she said she had to run to the bathroom."

"How long ago?"

He screwed up his face in concentration, "Umm… fifteen minutes ago?"

This was bad. The bathroom pavilion was stationed next to _The Grill_. We had only walked about 500 feet away from the restaurant. I checked my phone to see if she had left a message on it. No Dice. This was really bad.

"Okay. Guys, I'm going to need you to keep an eye out for her while I take a look by the boardwalk. Takumi, I want you to hold down the fort at the blanket. Daiki, Touki, spread out and look for her down here. I want you all to send me a status report every ten minutes till we find her. Send out a group text if you see her. You guys have my number, right?" I issued my orders at a rapid fire pace, knowing that the kids would take this seriously.

Eyeing them each in turn, I waited until they acknowledged their roles. "Right. Our princess may need our help. So let's find her."

The kids quickly went about their tasks. Satisfied I spun on my heels and raced to the famous board walk, berating myself all the way.

Under normal conditions, I don't sleep very well, and when stressed out I don't sleep at all. Going to sleep in my mother's arms and then being shaken awake by a strange man in a black outfit to take me to the hospital really messed with my psyche. Learning that my mother had died while I was resting peacefully had traumatized me further. I didn't sleep unless doped up on drugs for months.

The first time I had fallen asleep while on the job, I was_ very_ lucky that I had woken up to such pleasant company-Shizuru is certainly something to look forward to when one wakes up. This time I had let myself be lulled by the warm sun, and the sounds of happy beachgoers punctuating the rhythm of the surf. Now, I was paying for my all-nighter and the tussle with those goons at the burger joint. If something were to happen to Shizuru, I'd probably never sleep again.

A half an hour passed by and all I had to show for it was nine texts saying the same thing: No Shizuru. Frantically, I'd gone into every shop and showed a picture of her to each person in there. Again the answer was the same. She'd been in and checked out some of the merchandise before heading on her way. The cashiers could describe her perfectly, which wasn't that much of a surprise; the woman was simply hard to forget.

Grimly I was just about to give on the search when I heard a distraught feminine voice from an ally next to the shop I'd just exited. My heart pounded as I rounded the corner.

_SMACK!_

"Do not ever try to touch me in such a way again." The female voice spoke in English, laced with the singsong of Kyoto.

"Oww. The fucking bitch scratched me." The male voice was familiar.

My body went rigid in anger and shock as I seethed silently. Those punks from earlier were still here. Desperately, I thought of ways to calm my raging nerves. I was no use to Shizuru if I couldn't think.

"Do you know who I am?" Shizuru demanded imperiously. She had straightened to her full height and was looking at the men as though they were something she would scrape off the bottom of her shoe. She was a cool cookie. By speaking loudly, she could draw attention to herself.

One of them spoke up, "Yeah, you're that famous chick from TV. I remember you had an interview in English. Couldn't remember what the hell you were talking about, though. You have a nice pair of tits."

They all laughed. Some of them were adjusting themselves. Shizuru noticed that they had begun to inch closer to her. Fear flickered across her face before she smiled wickedly at them.

"Then you understand what could happen to you if you carry on with whatever you plan on doing, yes?" She had played her last card.

"Yes darling, but you see we are all leaving the country in a couple days. The police won't be able to find us that fast."

Knowing what they were going to do to her actually helped to my calm nerves. I flowed into a crouch, silently taking my throwing dagger from its ankle sheath. My eyes darted between each assailant as I calculated how best to handle them. Luckily, I had forgotten to put on my boots when I began my frantic search, so now I could be nearly silent as I stalked them. The sun had sunk low enough to cause long patches of dark shadows in the ally.

Shock and awe it is then. Time to make Batman proud.

Grabbing a sizable rock I threw it as hard as I could at one of the men who was positioned on the opposite side of the alley from my spot in the shadows. The rock found its mark, dropping the man. The others jumped as he crumpled. All of them looked at him then towards the mouth of the ally.

One of them turned so I could easily put a sleeper on him. In thanks, I jumped up and wrapped an arm around his neck, my other hand covering his mouth muffling any cries that could be heard as the others chattered about my first victim. I dragged him behind a pile of garbage while waiting for his struggling to dissipate. When he passed out, I cautiously checked my situation. Two down, four to go. Shizuru had backed up against the far wall, getting as much space between her and the group of men as possible. Her eyes were not searching for me, but were trained on each of the men, and wisely, she kept her mouth shut.

I stealthily climbed up a nearby fire escape and circled around the buildings so I could get the drop on the two idiots standing under a metal platform. Landing once again on the street, I padded up behind them. I tapped them on their inside shoulders then drove their heads together as they looked between them. Both noses broke and the morons fainted into each other in shock.

Quickly, I darted into the shadows of the building, keeping low to the ground. Predictably, the last two ran over to their fallen comrades. I recognized the dumbass from earlier as he sped past my hiding spot; he still had gauze stuffed up his nose.

"What the hell is going on? Batman's real?" The second man quipped.

"Dunno, Max. I bet the red eyed bitch has something to do with it, though." Dumbass snarled, whipping his head to the tall brunette. "Go watch the street, Max. I want to take my time with her."

"Sure, but I want to have a taste. Don't break her." With that sentiment, Max cautiously moved toward the ally's entrance, flicking his eyes from side to side. Smart man. Course, Dumbass stalked over to Shizuru, slowly pressing into her space. I had to move, and fast.

Luckily, I had not moved far from the two dunces with matching mushed up faces. Max had already passed me, so I rushed him from behind, slamming the butt of my knife into the base of his skull. I eased him down to the ground. I really wanted Dumbass to feel fear.

"Do you know the legends of mermaids?" I paused, surprised at hearing my actual voice. One of the men must have hit the button, turning off the device. My voice echoed loudly in the alley, causing the boorish man to pause.

"Why the fuck should I care? Max!"

I carried on. "Mermaids were said to be supernaturally beautiful young women, who lured sailors to their deaths at the bottom of the ocean. Some say that they could sing whole ships to their doom."

Silence prevailed as I slipped ever closer. Dumbass was finally getting the drift. Shizuru was not looking for the source of my voice, but eyeing her captor warily.

I tapped my leather collar. The man was searching in the wrong direction. Shizuru spotted me though, the only indication that she saw me coming was the widening of her eyes.

For the second time that day, I kicked the man's knee out from under him. This time though I was able to put enough force into it that I felt bones crunch under my foot. I pulled his arm into a lock, and placed the blade of my knife at his pulse.

"Sailors also died because they couldn't keep their filthy paws off the sea maidens. The wild mermen did not take the rape of their lovers lightly." I whispered in his ear, lightly pressing my knife into the delicate skin on his neck. "You still haven't apologized."

"You again -"

He was cut off by the blade biting into his neck, drawing blood.

"Careful, now. I have been looking all over for my mermaid, and finding her in this state has made me…twitchy."

The man was now truly terrified. Dropping his bent arm to slide around so I could face him, the knife still threatening to slice open his neck, I forced him to look into my blazing eyes. The natural green of my eyes was probably overpowering the blue of the contacts. It was no matter, though, because I knew that all he could see were swirling blues and greens piercing through the back of his skull.

"Stand up and apologize to the lovely lady. And make it a point not to come back to this beach on the rest of your stay." I husked out flatly, releasing my hold on the terrified man.

He stood up and mumbled a "Sorry" then scurried out of the ally.

"Thank you "

"Shizuru! Don't ever wander off like that!" I grabbed her shoulders and shook her gently. "The other guards that follow you around may just think of you as a job, but I can't do that."

Drawing her into a fierce hug, I buried my nose into the soft hair on the back of her neck. "You scared me witless. I'm so glad you're okay! Please, if you need time to yourself, at least leave a note or something." I was practically begging her at this point.

She sighed into my shoulder, giving me a brief squeeze before pushing herself out of my embrace. "I am sorry, my sweet Misaki. I wanted to get you and the boys souvenirs, so that I could show my appreciation. I simply lost track of time and was on my way back when those men cornered me here."

I sighed. "Try to be more careful next time. If you'd been caught by Tomoe, or another one of your crazy stalkers, we'd probably see you in a body bag."

She shivered at the thought. "I'll try to be more diligent. This is all so overwhelming to be perfectly honest." I had to agree with her there. It was getting to be a little much for me and I wasn't even being stalked.

Pulling on my hand, she led the way out of the ally. Grabbing my cell out of my pants pocket, I texted the boys, letting them know that I'd found Shizuru. Dialing 119, I called the police stating that there was an attempted mugging and rape. The ambulance arrived, carting off the unconscious men. I gave the police a description of the scene I had come upon, conveniently leaving out the part where I laid waste to six men. Shizuru said that a strange man had come to her aide.

The boys were elated that I had found their princess. Daiki and Touki gave me high fives and slapped me on the back. Takumi latched onto Shizuru, burying his face into her chest. The rest of us looked on in envy; he was one lucky kid. She laughed at our expressions before exclaiming that she needed to breathe.

We all walked to the train station, the teens letting out their pent up energy, bounced around the swiftly tiring Shizuru and me. When the boys bought their tickets, she had them pose for pictures, and kindly asked a passerby to take a couple of group shots. Finally she declared that she was going to give the boys their gifts.

"I was going to buy you all souvenirs but I found that I couldn't find anything." Their faces fell in disappointment. "However, I have decided to give you all kisses to show my appreciation for your valiant deeds." With that she bent down and gave each boy a soft peck on their cheeks.

"I'm not washing my face for a week." Daiki was dazed.

"Best gift ever." Touki was close to keeling over.

"You're welcome, Shizuru nee-chan." Takumi was the vet of the group, but his cheeks were still pink.

"Ara, you'd better hurry, the train is coming in a couple minutes." Shizuru chuckled as the boys visibly jumped out of their collective stupor. They shouted hasty good byes before rushing to their platform.

"Is Anh picking you up?" I asked as we walked slowly over to a bench.

"Yes, she offered to drop you off at your bike if you want."

I slumped down on the bench, glad that we'd chosen one with a back on it, and leaned back to stare at the stars. Shizuru's weight moved one of the loose boards as she joined me on the bench. "Yeah, I don't think I could walk back, I'm exhausted." I wearily closed my eyes.

Warm breath brushed against my cheek. "I have yet to give you my gift, my brave Snow White."

I gasped, snapping my eyes open to stare directly into burning crimsons. Any thoughts I had escaped me as soft lips were pressed against mine. Too soon, headlights grazed over us and Shizuru broke the kiss with a contented sigh.

Anh waved us over and opened the passenger side door for Shizuru and the backseat door for me. My thoughts came rushing back to me; several of them bounced around my head. The most prominent were:

1. Holy Shit! I was caught! Is Shizuru mad at me?

2. What am I going to tell Reito and Anh?

3. She tastes like tea.

4. Touki was right, that was the best gift ever.

* * *

**AN: Well that was a little bit of fun! Again thanks to everyone who has reviewed in the past and hopefully the story flows better. **

**Reviews are always welcome!**

**AN: Hey guys! This was awesome to write and it has been revised! Shout outs to all of those who have read A Fairy Tale? In the past. I hope this is bigger and better than its first incarnation!**


	4. Wolf Prince

_Wolf Prince_

"God damn it!"

I was so mad at myself. A day after Shizuru kissed me and essentially unmasked me, I, the dumb ass that I was, waltzed into _The HiMe Star_ with that mask still on. I was so eager to learn how Shizuru figured out my disguise that I had not even thought about Shizuru's feelings.

Shizuru was waiting in Anh's office as she knew I made it a habit to check in with Anh on the schedule for the evening. The look on her face when I walked through that door said a million things. She was glowing. Then, like a light going out, her expression dropped into deep disappointment and sadness. Without saying a word she fled, slamming the door in her wake. Anh angrily ordered me to go home and stay there until I figured out what the hell I had done wrong.

It took me half a day to work out what the hell I did wrong. When I did, I wanted to ram my head into the nearest solid wall. I had basically gone all Godzilla all over Shizuru's heart. She, like myself, thought that we were more than just friends especially after she had kissed me. I know I was struck dumb and Shizuru most likely felt something because she was shooting me coy glances all the way back to my bike. I also hurt her pride because she had seen through my disguise so easily. I mean it was amazing that she did that since she hadn't called ARTEMIS and asked for a description of me and got my name for herself. She probably wanted a proper introduction and not have Misaki thrown in her face all the time.

I had to have help on this one, and Anh was willing to tell me a bit about Shizuru once I told her what I did wrong. Shizuru had been afraid that my friendship with her was a ruse to make her feel more comfortable around me. That was hardly the truth, but when I showed up as Misaki, her suspicions were confirmed. Shizuru knew through her criminal psychology courses at school that profilers create characters for agents to assume when they do undercover work. Hell, I did shit like that all the time in the FBI under my aunt.

I am a miserable bastard, girl or not.

"Natsuki, you're such a fucking dumbass! I can't believe that I actually did that!" I shouted from the top of my apartment building. A wave of sadness washed over me. Shizuru may never want to talk to me again. It had been two days since then and Nao had been temporarily assigned to Shizuru in my stead.

Looking at my cell phone that was clutched in my fist, I was fighting with myself. Should I call her and tell her I was sorry? Or should I go straight to the Star and make a scene there? A light breeze cooled the heated roof and I dragged my eyes from my phone to gaze at the surrounding area. Suddenly, an idea snapped into my head. I stared down on the local park that was next to the train station; it was full of maple trees in all of their summer glory. Now, all I had to do was get Shizuru over here.

I hit the speed dial on my phone and brought it up to my ear. When the answering machine clicked over I spoke, "Hello, Shizuru. This is Snow White. I was wondering if you could meet me tomorrow…."

* * *

I was a wreck; Shizuru hadn't called back, but in my message I told her that I would be at the train station's park entrance for two hours between 10 and noon. So, here I was, dressed in a collared black tee shirt with a blue tie fashionably tied loose around my neck, a black pleated short skirt, and laced up sandals.

Luckily, today was going to be beautiful; sure it was going to be hot, but the humidity had finally been burned off with the last night's thunderstorms and the morning's clear skies.

"Hey, Cutie. You with someone? Wanna hang out?" I was abruptly torn from my thoughts by the sneering voice of a young man. He was the fourth guy to hit on me since I found this bench about a half hour ago.

Eyeing him with disdain I spoke in my husky voice, "Yes I am waiting for someone. And no I don't want to play. Now beat it, you're blocking my sun." Waving him along, I looked beyond him, searching for my tall brunette.

Either he was stupid, or merely persistent. Probably both because he carried on, "Aw come on. Someone as hot as you shouldn't look so scary. If you come with me I can give you a smile." He eyed me up and down, no doubt undressing me in his head.

I leaned forward, giving him a view of my rather pathetic cleavage, but it still did the trick. While he was drooling I took the opportunity to teach him a lesson. Reaching out I grabbed the short hairs on his chest that were poking out of his shirt. His breath hitched as I pulled him forward and twisted.

Low, husky and dead serious, I spoke again, "Even some one as stupid as you look should know when a girl says no she actually means no. Now, move on before you piss me off further."

He squeaked and nodded. Releasing him with a push, I ignored the parting face saving insults that were thrown my way. As entertaining as that was, I was still upset. Giving the bench a jab with the heel of my palm, I slumped further into the wood and glared at the ants scurrying their way around the sidewalk.

So absorbed with watching the ants, I stopped paying attention to the human traffic around me. Soon, a shadow fell on the sidewalk in front of my spot. Seriously, I hated that people couldn't stay away from me.

"Look. I'm waiting here for someone impor…" I trailed off as I frowned up at the person standing in my space. "Umm, Hi?" The squeakiness of my voice sounded so wrong. This was certainly not starting off the way I had imagined it.

"Hello, Misaki-kun. I hope that you don't want to scare me away after I came all the way down here." Shizuru spoke with a slight tease in her coolly polite tone.

Clearing my throat, I stood up so she would have to back up a step. Well, now was the time to jump in all the way. I stuck out my hand and said, "Hello, Fujino Shizuru-sama, I presume? My name is Natsuki Kuga and I've been assigned to be your bodyguard. I look forward to working with you." Hopefully, giving her a proper introduction would help melt some of that icy attitude.

Grinning, and obviously knowing what I was planning, Shizuru placed her hand in mine and gave it a firm shake. "Nice to meet you, Kuga-san. If you are to be my guard, you may call me Shizuru. I, too, wish to work well with you." She was holding herself back, I could tell.

I returned her grin and dropped her hand. Then, bending over, I grabbed the bag that I had been using as an armrest from the bench. "Please call me Natsuki. I know you have loads of questions for me, but first we need to get away from the station. There are far too many people here for my liking. Follow me." I walked passed her and pointed myself towards the entrance of the park.

"Ara, Nat-su-ki?" The sound of my name coming out of her mouth in that way should be banned. Truly, it wasn't fair.

"Yeah?" I was proud that my tone was its usual husk.

"A gentleman should allow his lady to take his hand or arm when escorting her." Oh, she was laying it on thick. Course, she always teased in this way, but there was an underlining threat within the honeyed voice that made me stop, turn around, and march back to her. I stood next to her with my free arm between us.

Her weight leaned on my side as her arm went through my own. "Much better." She purred, causing me to shiver.

We began to walk in a somewhat comfortable silence, making our way through the park to my sanctuary. "I am still mad at you. I cannot believe you showed up at the club as Misaki after that day at the beach. Then it took you two days to call me to apologize." She gave my arm a light slap for emphasis.

"Yeah, I'm an idiot. I pretty much stomped all over your feelings, huh?" I turned my head to look at her reaction. She gave me a silent nod. "And a simple apology won't suffice, I suppose?" Another nod. "For now though, I am simply happy that you are willing to talk to me." I paused to take in her outfit, or what I could see of it since we were so close. A maroon, shoulder less tee shirt, which no doubt brought out the darker hues in her eyes, hugged her curves. Her hair was down, and obstructed the view of her upper chest. Her skin was a golden glow in the bright early afternoon sun. "You look nice."

Surprised, she glanced into my eyes; hers were a bright swirl of reds. "Natsuki, you don't get any suck up points for flattery." Shizuru said sternly, trying in vain not to smile.

I shrugged. "Well, I got you to say 'suck up'. Do I get points for that?"

She still had her eyes glued to mine, wide with surprise. A couple seconds passed and then she erupted into light laughter. "Natsuki, I simply cannot figure out why I can't stay angry with you." She gasped out between giggles.

"It's cause I'm cute." I said playfully before glancing at my surroundings. "We're here."

I had led us to a secluded part of the park; a small glade surrounded by ancient Japanese maples and had a carpet of short green grass that rippled in the breeze. Shizuru let go of my arm and slowly made her way to the middle of the glade as if she was in a trance.

"You never cease to amaze me, Natsuki. It is perfect." She said softly, her voice carrying through the tranquility.

"I'm glad you like it." I had moved to stand next to her in the center of the clearing. "Would you like to have lunch here? This way we could talk without anyone interrupting."

"Ara! Is Natsuki asking me out on a date in an attempt to get back into my good graces? She is so bold, what's a girl to do?" She fretted.

"Yeah, Yeah, Princess. I don't like to be in areas where there are a lot of people to overhear something so private. Besides, food is always a good backup plan to get through any awkward pauses." I grunted as I pulled the picnic blanket from my bag. Glancing at Shizuru, I asked "Are you gonna help or what?"

She jumped as though she was pulled from a daze, "A gentleman should never ask for help from his lady."

Sighing, I grumbled, "Okay, still being punished."

Light giggles sounded off behind me.

* * *

A couple hours had passed and Shizuru seemed to finally relax. We had devoured our sandwiches; mine was ham and cheese with mayo and mustard. For Shizuru, I made a turkey sandwich with Swiss cheese, spinach and light vinaigrette on whole grain bread (My sandwich was on the same bread, it was super tasty). She seemed content in asking me about my past. Of course I happily answered most of the questions, knowing full well that she was using her psychology voodoo on me. She finally asked me what was bugging her.

"Did you do a profile on me to build Misaki's personality?" Trepidation was evident in her body language and voice.

"Nope." I answered truthfully. "In the FBI, I did have to build characters based on what I needed to get out of people. Not with you though. It was Chie's idea, actually. She had suggested to just be myself around you because, well she thought you would have seen through any act that I would try to pull. We just hadn't anticipated you finding me that day back in June. So, just about everything that Misaki did, I would have done, too."

"Just about everything, hmm." She hummed coyly.

Well, this was the easy part. "Remember when you met Misaki for the first time?"

"Yes, what of it?"

"Um, the drinking game with the ladies at the club… I, ah, kinda don't like kissing random people. That I had to do in order to pass the 'straight guy test' since it was obvious that I wasn't drinking. Oh and that time at the beach with the girl and the flower? I'm pretty sure that was my inner 'Misaki' coming out, because I sure as hell wouldn't have done that as a girl, no matter how funny her reaction was." Fully embarrassed now, I began to pluck at the blanket.

"Yes, I remember now, you only seem to flirt with the girls at the club if it's necessary to keep up your image or to keep JUN off of you." Did I pick up a hint of jealousy? No, she was probably just angry about not catching on earlier.

"Shizuru, how did you figure out who I was? The voice changer was obvious, but I know you wouldn't reveal your knowledge without further evidence. I could have been another girl with a husky voice." I was dying to know.

She looked at me and said, "Well, for one thing, you move differently from other people. My other guards were also highly trained in hand to hand combat, but they moved like robots; everything they did was in order and sequenced. You move like a predator, everything you do is highly controlled; you're fluid. Even when you bashed that man's head in on the table; you were incredibly angry, yet you still were able to flow smoothly through your moves."

She paused, silently asking if I wished to hear more. Smiling back encouragingly, I was fascinated. Never has anyone analyzed me like this before. Shizuru has an orator's gift. Unconsciously she knew what to do to make her story interesting, and right now she was telling my story and I wanted more.

"The most telling thing though is your eyes. When you speak to people, you look at them so intensely that they can feel you watching them. Forest green or ocean green, it doesn't matter, they are so intense. Partner that with your movements, you are practically wolf like." She glanced at me then quickly away. "Right now, I feel like I am your prey. I know you don't do it consciously, but you are so still and it seems like your eyes are glowing."

I blinked. "I'm sorry. You're just such a good storyteller, it's rather fascinating. You have a gift." Like I'd tell her that I love the sound of her voice.

Sighing, she finally met my gaze. "It's okay. However you can be ridiculously distracting when you do that. You have a way about you that can unsettle people. I can guess that a lot of people are frightened off or become defensive, but others are drawn to you. I can understand the latter, Natsuki, because for some reason you make them feel special."

"But you are special." popped out of my mouth before I could think. Heat ran to my cheeks and I glanced at the tree line in an attempt to hide my embarrassment. Surprisingly, I thought I saw something rustle around in the bushes. Narrowing my eyes, I searched the area for more movement.

Arms wrapped around my neck and Shizuru placed her cheek against mine as she leaned into my back. "Thank you, Natsuki. This is another thing that gave you away. You seem to find the right things to say to make me feel better." She murmured against me, sending a pleasant jolt of electricity through my body.

We were close enough so when I shifted to face her, our lips were practically brushing against each other. Her lids had lowered half way; she was ready for me to make the next move. Oh how I wanted to kiss her then, but I knew who was watching us from the trees. Feeling like the worst tease, I placed three fingers on her full lips. Withdrawing slightly, Shizuru sent me an annoyed glare that melted into curiosity as I glanced over at the trees.

Counting down with my fingers, I pulled each one away from her lips. Each time I removed a finger, she kissed the ones still resting on her. Course, she did so with a huge grin on her face, knowing how hard it was for me to keep a straight face. Revenge was sweet, I suppose.

Just as my index finger slid away from her face, a shadow popped up and yelled, "Aw come on, ya mutt! Kiss the fox already! I'm dying –"

Nao suddenly disappeared as another dark shape yanked her roughly behind the bush it had charged from. Fierce whispers erupted from that same bush.

_Seriously, guys? You all look ridiculous._ I thought as I glanced at Shizuru. She looked disappointed and amused at the same time; she clearly wanted to continue whatever we had started.

No longer able to control myself I flew to my feet and stalked towards the trees. "Nao! Chie! You guys are so dead when I get a hold of you!"

* * *

The countryside flickered by the window I was leaning against as the bullet train sped its way north to Tokyo station. We were still an hour away from our destination. Hot and humid July slipped into a hot and stormy August, bringing the general elections ever closer. Shizuru's father was doing well, thanks to Shizuru's hard work no doubt, and he had asked her to make one last push before she had to go back to school at the end of the month. So, she agreed she would go to Tokyo and do interviews throughout the week.

_This is so boring. _I took a sip from my pint of milk, rolling my head to face Shizuru, sitting across from me with papers strewn on the seat next to her and a pile in her hands. She was currently studying her interview notes for tomorrow's appearances. She has two in the morning and one during the early afternoon. We're going to be flying from the Marunouchi ward to Chuo ward then rounding out the day in Odaiba.

Our relationship had gotten better over the past month, even with some of the awkwardness of discovering that we could be more than friends. We were exceptionally close when she just knew me as Misaki. Now, the tension between us skyrocketed as we fought with our mutual attraction to each other.

"Misaki. Are you okay?" I jumped at the sound of Shizuru's voice in the near empty car. We had agreed to keep my identity a secret, mostly because Misaki was such a great deterrent. Plus, as Nao had jokingly put it, having male eye-candy present could turn off some of the female admirers too.

"Yeah, do you want me to see if they've got your favorite tea?" Seriously, not being able to move was pure torture.

Smiling, she dropped her papers on her lap and patted my knee. "Thank you, but I am not thirsty. But you don't have to stay here on my account. Go on, stretch your legs."

Rubbing at the back of my head sheepishly, I scooted out of the seats, and stretched out my body. "Thanks. I'll be back in like five minutes. Text me if you need me."

Chuckling, she waved me on. "Go, go. I am sure I can take care of myself, Misaki-kun."

Five minutes later, I found Shizuru asleep in her chair. She must have nodded off right after I left because her interview notes were still in her lap with her hands folded daintily on top of them. I snorted; even when she falls asleep on the train, she still manages to be graceful.

As much as I wanted to let her sleep, doing so on the train could hamper her ability to relax at the hotel, once we got there. I was about to do something very mean, but also very funny. Nao would be proud.

Even though Shizuru had turned down my offer of tea, I still found iced tea that I knew that she liked and purchased it. The can was dripping cold sweat. I gently placed the cold can against her cheek. "Shizuru, it's time to wake up."

What happened next was surprising to say the least. I caught a blur coming up from under my chin but couldn't dodge the heel of Shizuru's palm. She caught me on the side of my nose, snapping my head back. "Ow!"

My startled yelp finally woke Shizuru up and she let loose a gasp. "Natsuki! Are you alright?"

"Holy crap! You hit me!" I was stunned into speaking English.

Something warm started to drip from my poor nose, probably blood. "Here," Shizuru dug around in her purse and pulled out a packet of tissues before shoving them into my face. "Did I really hit you? I remember something cold and wet on my cheek and I reacted on instinct. Put your head back." She spoke in her most soothing voice, her musical accent permeating her Japanese.

I sat back in my seat and tilted my head so I could look at the ceiling of the car. Shizuru hovered around, helping to press the wad of tissues into my nose.

"Yes, you hit me. You've got great form by the way." I gestured at the can of iced tea that Shizuru had placed in a cup holder.

Her eyes followed my hand and snapped back to roam over my face. She broke out into a bright smile when she realized what had happened. "You should have woken me up with a kiss. I would have reacted more favorably."

Snorting, then groaning out a small "ow" I shot her a skeptical look. "Yeah right. I'm too scared to try anything like that now."

She pouted. "Ikezu, Natsuki. Waking up to find you kissing me would make me very happy."

Even though she spoke quietly, I looked around the car, checking the other passengers' reactions. Some were looking at us curiously, most likely due to the Japanese – English conversation. "Shizuru!" I hissed, warning her not to say my real name too much. It would not be good to have someone overhear me being addressed by two different names.

"Fine." She said rather petulantly while sitting back down. "I think you're done bleeding. We just need to find something cold to help with the bruising." She took the offending can of tea and wrapped it in her spare handkerchief. "It's not too cold but it will have to do until I can find ice."

Taking the cool beverage and gingerly pressing it to my throbbing cheek, I winced at the shock of pain. "Thanks."

"Wait here. I'll go find the snack lady to see if I can get some ice from her." Once again she patted my knee while gracefully moving out to the isle. She gave me a stern look over her shoulder. "Do not move from that spot."

I nodded weakly at her back. She knows me too well. I would have tried to find the lady on my own once she was gone. Slowing down my breathing, I let my body relax into the cushioned seat and once again turned my focus out the window.

In no time at all, Shizuru returned with a bag of ice held in her hand. Silently, she took my can of lukewarm tea away from my face and trailed her fingers lightly over the swollen tissue that was forming under my eye. "It doesn't look that bad. I don't think your nose is broken." She murmured.

"Well, I've had worse injuries before. I just hope I don't have a black eye." I replied with a shrug.

She gave me an odd look before un-wrapping her handkerchief from around the bottle and placed it on my cheek before gently pressing the bag of ice into the cloth. Then, she took my hand and guided it my face so I could hold it there.

Okay, she was officially weirding me out. Shizuru hadn't looked at me like that before. "Do you want help with your notes?" I asked in Japanese, hoping to disperse the strange atmosphere that had fallen over us.

"Sure. I could use the help. These first ones are going to be the toughest."

I nodded and shuffled through the notes, trying to locate the first interview.

* * *

Monday and Tuesday had gone by in a blur. They were the easiest days on my part because the shows that Shizuru had gone on were news programs and had no studio audiences. That being said, she was on a lot and we barely had a break as we were whisked from studio to studio. Shizuru was a trouper though, showing no fatigue and answering her interviews intelligently and gracefully. I don't know how she did it.

Today was Shizuru's day off, as her publicist made sure to give her a rest day to recharge her batteries. So we had gone all over Tokyo, shopping in Shinjuku and Shibuya, visiting the great bookstore district of Jimbo-cho and finally looking over the city in the twilight from Mori Tower. It was located in Roppongi and the Tower was one of the largest skyscrapers in Tokyo, with its circular observation deck on the 54th floor. There were no other large buildings in the area, giving patrons an unobstructed view of the city. We were lucky because the smog wasn't terrible and we could see Mount Fuji off in the distance.

"Misaki-kun."

I jolted from my thoughts. "Yes, Shizuru?"

"Yuukiko-san was wondering if you could take a picture with her before we go back to Fuuka." She rolled her eyes because her timid publicist was dying to get close to me after I had accidentally made her faint during our first meeting. The problem was that she hasn't spoken to me since then, using Shizuru as her messenger.

I grinned across the table at her. "Jealous?" We were eating at a relatively classy restaurant in Roppongi's Tokyo Midtown shopping mall. It was fashionably chic with traditional Japanese foods and a modern atmosphere. The food was excellent, even if I was used to more western style fare.

She shot me a glare and kicked my leg underneath the low table. It was designed to look like a traditional table, but there was a cut out underneath it so people could sit instead of kneel. Genius, really. Okay, that hurt, seeing as she was wearing two inch high heeled sandals. Deciding to not dignify that with a verbal response, she daintily sipped at her water.

"I will gladly take a picture with her, but I want to do it at the end of the week; my cheek needs to heal a little more." I waved my hand at my mottled face. The bruise was an ugly mix of yellow and purple.

"I hope that the rest of this week will go as smoothly as yesterday and Monday. I doubt it though, because all of my other appearances have studio audiences. I even have a signing event in Shinjuku on Saturday! I'm not even a celebrity or author." She sighed in response.

Um, something was definitely bothering her ever since she helped me clean up my nose. She'd been giving me strange looks all week and she hasn't been teasing me as often; I had given her the perfect opening and she didn't take it. "Shizuru, is something wrong? Did I do something to upset you?"

A small laugh escaped her lips. "Yes and no. I am worried that Tomoe will come around again and I can barely describe her. You, Chie and Nao are basically going to be blind. I wish I was more cautious at work."

I climbed out from my side of the table and went to her. Crawling back under it and sitting on the tatami mat I pulled Shizuru into a one armed embrace. "It's okay, Zuru. We have enough to get a general idea as to what she looks like. Besides, you never expected to be stalked; you can't blame yourself for something you can't control."

"Yes, but now you and the others are between her and me. Tomoe isn't the type to be dissuaded by a show of force. She'll find a way to get to me." She laid her head on my shoulder and started to play with the hem of my shirt. "I couldn't bear it if something were to happen to any of you; especially you, Natsuki."

Rubbing her arm in what I hoped was a comforting way, I replied. "I have a theory on the club and how your water bottle was drugged. You've heard of gang stalking, right?"

She nodded against my shoulder, absently drawing circles on my stomach with her light fingers. "It's a very rare occurrence in which the actual stalker uses proxies to carry out most of the stalking activities for him or her. They are usually in the area, watching the target's reactions." She paused, thinking over past events before continuing. "Ah, I see. You believe that Tomoe used a proxy to switch my water with a contaminated container and simply waited until the drugs took over to come after me."

I hummed my approval. "So, you see when you're attacked from all sides, it's difficult to focus on the source of the problem. Besides, I've seen you with your fans. You are good with them and can tell who might be a little more over the top than usual. You can handle yourself in stressful situations. If anyone else was dealing with those men back in that alley they'd be a quivering puddle of goo."

She moved away, still a little upset but I noticed that she was a little brighter. A knock at the door of our private room startled the both of us.

"Come in." Shizuru commanded softly.

The door slid open with a clack and Yuukiko stepped in. Her eyes widened at the pair of us. "Fujino-san, the hotel rooms in Century Tower are ready for us. We should rest for the evening. I have already taken care of the meal for you."

"Not very subtle, Yuukiko-san." Shizuru chided gently with a sigh. She stood up and walked gracefully towards the restaurant's exits.

I waited a minute or two before following her out. I paused at the crestfallen publicist. "Don't worry about her, Yuu-chan. She's just got a lot of pressure on her. Add the stalker in the mix, and she's justifiably stressed out." Chuckling at her reddened face, I patted her shoulder, "C'mon, she's probably gonna leave without us if we wait too long."

Century Hotel was located in Shinjuku's Southern Terrace City's Odakyu Southern Tower. The hotel occupied the top of the tower from the 20th to the 36th floor. Shizuru and I had an executive suit on the top floor (it had two twin beds) while Yuukiko had a nice double room on the floor below.

Yuukiko was shocked and scandalized when we had decided on the accommodations for our second hotel of the week. The first one was closer to Odaiba as most of the TV stations in Tokyo were located on the man-made island. I had to convince her that I wouldn't do anything to Shizuru. It took a lot of work because I had to really emphasize that Shizuru wouldn't do anything to _me._ Typically, Shizuru wasn't very much help at all, shooting me flirtatious looks and making suggestive comments.

Lying on my bed and watching TV in the very nice corner executive, I thought of the upcoming signing. Shizuru would be more vulnerable than she's ever been this week as she would be signing the promotional material for the morning show that she was appearing in on Sunday; this was the closest most of her fans would come to her. The signing will be in the skywalk between the Kinokunya bookstore and Takashima Times Square. There will be only two ways out. Thankfully, Nao, Aoi and Chie would be on hand, but I still worried.

"Ara, Natsuki is going to cause a stroke if she continues switching through the channels at such a fast pace."

I turned with a scowl that quickly dropped into an open mouth stare. _Wow. _

Shizuru had come out of the shower dressed in a silky lavender colored robe and probably nothing else. Water was doing wonderful things with her skin and hair and her robe was sticking to her wet skin revealing tempting curves.

"You just can't help yourself, can you?" I grumbled while trying to force my eyes out the window. Failing miserably, I kept steeling glances at her sleek body.

"What? This is my normal night attire." Her wide red eyes shone innocently, but her coy smile gave her away.

"Yeah right."

"I am sure Natsuki likes the view."

"It's great, I can…" I choked on my words knowing that I had stumbled into a trap.

"Ara, Natsuki isn't so bad herself." The honeyed voice was laced with humor and sounded closer than before.

I whipped my head around, "Shizuru! What have I told you about personal space?" Sure enough Shizuru had moved to the side of my bed and began to crawl in, giving me an eye full of all of her wonderful…assets. I coughed and scooted closer to the edge furthest away from her.

She giggled and snuggled against me. Then she tilted her head thoughtfully "Natsuki is so easy to cuddle. I wonder why?"

Her hands started to play through my hair and I could feel her heated breath against my skin. My own had unconsciously gripped her shoulder bringing her closer to my body. I took a guess, "I'm comfy?"

She hummed deep in her throat then asked, "Can I sleep with you tonight?"

I looked down at the top of her head. "Um, okay. Can you change into your actual PJ's?" I fingered the collar of her robe. "This is a little too distracting."

"Natsuki is unusually perceptive tonight." She released me and slid off the bed.

I snorted, began to pull the sheets down and shot back, "That's not very subtle." Yeah, it was a little self-deprecating, but it was all I got; Shizuru was doing funny things to my brain.

Cloth rustled and I focused very hard on the nice flashing lights of Shinjuku. Somehow I had gotten under the covers without even looking at the undressing vixen on the other side of the room. Go me.

The mattress shifted as Shizuru once again got in bed. Her warmth spread across my back when she slid her arms around my waist. I stiffened as something warm and soft pressed against my neck just under my ear.

A soft "Thank you, sweet Natsuki" brushed against my ear before Shizuru nuzzled into the crook of my neck. Giving her hand a squeeze, I reached out and clicked off the bedside lamp.

"Sleep well, princess."

* * *

Sharp knocking from the door woke me up on Saturday morning. Picking my head off the pillow, I gently pulled my arm out from under Shizuru so I could lean on it.

I shook Shizuru and lightly called out her name. I got a moan in response. The knocking persisted. I knew that it was Yuukiko coming early to make sure that nothing was happening between her star and bodyguard. Too late for that; Shizuru hadn't slept in her bed at all. Not that I minded.

Knowing Yuukiko was going to come through the door at any moment, I jabbed at my voice alternator and shouted, "Just a minute! I've gotta get my pants on. Shizuru's in the restroom."

A muffled "Oh, I'll come back in ten minutes" came through the door. I collapsed in relief. It was a miracle that Yuukiko hadn't found out about my gender yet or has she walked in on Shizuru and I asleep in bed together.

Surprisingly enough, Shizuru remained asleep throughout my shouting and fidgeting. It was time to wake up my sleeping princess.

Once again pushing the button of my voice alternator, I then brushed back her soft mane of golden brown hair. Slanting my face for easier access, I brushed feather light kisses up and down her slender neck. Fingers trailed the length of her bare arm.

Marveling at my own actions and how comfortable I felt around Shizuru, I stopped my ministrations and whispered huskily into her into ear, "Wake up, princess."

She mumbled something and turned in my arms. She then hugged me tight against her. Chuckling, I carried on kissing her neck and moved up to trace my lips across the plains of her face. This got her attention and I could feel her eyelashes tickling the underside of my chin. Pulling back, I watched her slowly wake up. She was pouting a little as though she had felt my lips on her skin and wanted more.

A breathy "Nastuki" came from her mouth. I shivered. _Okidoki, time to move_. Deciding that I needed to get away before things started getting more heated, I wiggled out of her embrace and sat up in the bed.

"Good Morning, Shizuru."

Her lips curled into a smile. "Good Morning, my Natsuki." She said languidly, her voice a throaty husk.

Right, gotta go. Just as I turned to scoot out of the small bed a hand shot out and pulled me down. Shizuru landed on top of me, propping herself up on her forearms. Eyes burned a bright red as she studied my face. She straddled my waist.

"You really think that I would let you kiss me like that and not get away with it?" She playfully asked.

"Um… Yuukiko's coming in-mmph!" My words were sealed off by Shizuru's soft lips. She moved slowly against my mouth. Pushing back, I savored the unique taste of tea that I hadn't had since she kissed me nearly a month ago. Threading my fingers through her hair, I pulled her closer to deepen the kiss. My other hand cupped at the side of her face.

Shizuru traced her tongue across my upper lip. I sucked in a breath and allowed her entrance, my own tongue fighting its way into her mouth. One of her hands had found its way under my shirt and began to explore my stomach. Ribbons of fire pulsed from her fingertips as she traced along my muscles. I gasped when she found a sensitive spot near my navel, accidently bucking my hips against her. A low moan reverberated through the room, most likely from Shizuru, but I wasn't sure.

A minute or five passed before we were interrupted by persistent knocking at the door. Shizuru opened her eyes and grinned before sitting back and calling out a "Who is it?" in her honeyed accent.

"Fujino-san. It's me, Yuukiko. May I come in?" The timid reply came from the door.

"Okay, I'm coming to open the door for you. The interior lock is still on." She pulled on her robe over her PJ's and climbed off of me. Then, she pressed a finger to my lips and pulled the blankets over my head.

I muffled a groan, listening to her pad her way across the floor. Locks rattled and the door was opened and shut. Luckily, the room was divided by a screen obscuring the kitchenette and dining area from the beds. We had rumpled the bedding up on the unused bed just in case something like this happened.

I touched my lips, not even paying attention to the short conversation coming from the other side of the room. _I am in so much trouble, _was the terrifying and exhilarating thought that flashed through my head. Then, shrugging, I brushed it away. As long as I could focus on protecting Shizuru as Misaki, then I could be her lover, girlfriend… whatever she needs me to be as Natsuki.

The door clicked shut and I waited for Shizuru to pull the comforter off my body. When she did, I sat up quickly before she could jump me again. Sure, I wanted her to, but we really needed to get going.

She sighed, understanding the need to get up. "I've wanted to do that to you ever since I met you. Today has started out well indeed."

"You're welcome?"

Shizuru burst out laughing and gave me a peck on the cheek before moving to her suitcase, "Natsuki, you are too much sometimes." She gestured towards the bathroom, "Go on, transform into prince Misaki. I told Yuukiko that you had gone to meet your colleagues at the Starbucks by the hotel."

I jumped out of the bed and rushed to get ready for the day.

Actually, using Shizuru's idea, I had my team meet me at the Starbucks. We went over our plans to get Shizuru out of the building if the fans got too frantic. After checking on Shizuru and Yuukiko, Nao, Chie, Aoi and I visited the spot for the signing. As it so happens, the buildings were located right across the tracks from the hotel. I had Chie and Aoi check out the bookstore, while Nao and I split the huge department store. We were to meet at the skywalk after an hour of casing the buildings.

Clearly, Takashima Times Square and Kinokuniya had done this before because the area had already been sectioned off and fans were neatly lined against one side of the walk.

"Guys, if our theory is true, then we may not even see Tomoe today. However, she will most likely send a number of her proxies to bother Shizuru. Since the police have upped their presence here, I've given them a description of Tomoe and asked them to keep her away from the area. We will need to at least get pictures of any proxies that harass Shizuru."

I walked over to the benches in the hallway next to the small lobby. "Nao I want you to try to get a spot here so you can keep an eye on the fans and anyone else hanging around here. If I radio you on a suspicious person I want you to take their picture for our files." Nao gave me a mock salute.

I turned to Aoi and Chie, "Guys I want one of you to patrol the line and the other to be stationed in Kinokunya at the bottom of the escalators. Please notify the staff so they won't call security on you. Again the same thing goes for you too."

"You got it boss. I'll let them know now." Chie turned and headed for the bookstore.

Aoi nodded. "I've already put a couple of cameras up." She held up her tablet. "I can monitor the cameras from anywhere below the skyway and not be obvious about it. Of course I will come up every once in a while to check in person."

I held up my chin proudly. "There are going to be over 200 people today that Shizuru is signing stuff for. I know we can handle it. Shizuru is already aware of the gang stalking theory so she is prepared for anything."

Three hours later, Shizuru was seated at her signing table, signing a well taken picture of her talking animatedly to the show's host. I was watching everyone who had come in to the little makeshift booth like a hawk. So far, so good.

"_Girl with terrible fashion sense getting ready to enter booth." _Nao's voice crackled in my ear. Nao had quickly become bored with sitting for so long and began to insult the fans waiting in line.

As that same girl came in, my hackles rose. I moved from my corner to stand next to the table, so I could get between the two if necessary. There was something off about her. She was not nervous at all, nor was she showing any signs of being excited by seeing a famous person. I followed her with my eyes and watched as she sat down in front of Shizuru. She politely handed her picture to the heiress and listened absently to Shizuru's greeting.

When she was asked what she wanted Shizuru to write she responded with "To Tomoe. Love Shizuru oneesama."

I stiffened, thinking that she wasn't the Tomoe that we were looking for, but she could be a proxy. Shizuru's pen paused slightly, and then smoothly moved across the poster, filling it with her elegant script.

Shizuru returned it with a bow and politely said, "Thank you for your support, Tomoe-san. I hope to see you tomorrow."

The girl took her signed picture back, bowed and silently left the booth.

Stopping Yuukiko from allowing the next fan through, I pressed a finger to my ear. "Nao, girl with bad fashion sense-picture, go!"

"_Got it."_

I shot Shizuru a questioning look. She nodded to both of us after giving herself a shake.

Yuukiko waved the next person in.

"_Okay, I got her. She's headed into TTS. Want me to tail her?"_

"Yeah, but don't follow her out the building." I had to whisper. "Aoi I need you to head to Nao's spot."

"_Already on it Mi-chan."_

I felt a surge of pride at the way my team worked together. They may be complete misfits and odd balls but they were damn good at their jobs.

"_Hottie at the back of the line looks suspicious. Should I intercept?"_ Chie piped in.

"_Describe her."_ Aoi's voice was dead serious.

"_Nice ass, business suit. Long legs, it looks like she works out. Hair's in a bun. She's messing with her briefcase."_

I suppressed a groan. "Negative on the intercept. Chie keep an eye on her and give me a progress report. Be professional." I knew that Chie was probably chasing a skirt, but she has great instincts on these sorts of things. Aoi's probably going to kill me for allowing her girlfriend to ogle the woman.

"_Roger that boss."_

I poked my head around the partitioning. Aoi was sitting with her back straight, glaring at me. Wincing I mouthed a "Sorry" before I ducked back into the booth.

It was 5 o'clock and finally all of the fans had their signed merchandise. I escorted Shizuru back to the hotel room. She promised to stay in, claiming that she was going to take a bath. She needed to rest her hand after signing all those things.

I met back up with Nao and the others outside Starbucks. Nao had been sent off yet again after another potential proxy who kept trying to touch Shizuru's hand while she was signing his poster. Chie's business woman turned out to be rather naughty; she wanted Shizuru to sign her stomach in lipstick along with her print. Aoi was still pissed though, and hadn't spoken to me or Chie since then.

I pulled out a pad and paper and began to write down my notes for the day. The three of us were waiting for Nao to return and decided to actually purchase coffee this time.

"Chie, can I see the pics you took?" She nodded and handed over her phone. Flicking through the pictures, I began to notice a pattern. I frowned at the last two. "Aoi, can you throw these on your tablet?" I needed a larger screen to confirm what was bugging me about the photos.

After Aoi transferred the pictures to her tablet I said, "You two look through those and see if you come up with something."

They looked confused but gamely began to study the pictures. After a while Chie began to scowl and Aoi gasped at the last two pictures.

"Tell me what you see."

Chie found her voice first. "Every one of those people we tagged as part of the gang stalking has a piercing in their left ear."

"Yes, but almost everyone has different colored gems in their ears. There are two reds, a white, a green, a light blue and a golden colored one." Aoi ticked off them off on her hand. "A cult, maybe?"

"Nah, Shizuru's hot and all that but she's just begun her TV career." Nao had just come back and slouched down into her chair. I pushed her favorite flavored Frappuccino at her.

Taking a long drink from it, she glanced at me then at the others. "That last guy followed the same general pattern as all the others. He walked through TTS without any sense of direction, then after 20 minutes he dumped the stuff he got for the signing and left through the underground exit to the subway station."

I sighed. "Good work, at least they are confirming that the attacks on her may be linked to one another." Nao's efforts helped and hurt us at the same time. What she had gathered doesn't give us a clue as to where the stalkers were going because Shinjuku's train stations all interlink in some fashion. Hell, they could have used the underground passages to make their way back towards Terrace City. There are two or three street exits less than a block away from the Century Hotel. On the other hand, it showed that they were following someone. That person could be Tomoe based on every time a proxy had Shizuru sign their things it was either for "T" or Tomoe. Either Tomoe was really smart or she was working with a really smart person.

I ran my gaze over my teammates and grimaced, fatigue was setting in and it was showing on all of their faces. We'd been on our feet for more than eight hours and Nao had walked up and down the towering department store. The worst part is that we are going to have to do something similar tomorrow. "Alright guys, let's call it a day. Great job. Shizuru isn't injured and we've gathered some interesting clues. I'll see you in the morning in Ikebukuro."

"Thanks!" They sounded off before getting up and heading for the station. Chuckling I watched Chie throw an arm around Aoi and say something loud enough for Nao to hear. Nao responded by pretending to strangle herself on her tie. _It's good to work with your friends. _

Lazily sipping at the last of my own Frappuccino I sat back in my chair and watched the people scurry past. A couple of tourists stood out like sore thumbs, with their maps and camera bags. Gaggles of high school students strode by, heading to more fun things after a hard day's work in their club activities. I chuckled as a group of American students walked by, boisterously haggling one of their own into joining them for a round of karaoke.

Thinking it was about time to head back to Shizuru, I stood up and gathered up my trash. Something hard and sharp poked at my back, digging dangerously close to my kidney.

I froze. _Shit._

"Can I help you?" My voice was low and hinted at a snarl.

A sibilant voice answered, somewhat muffled by my back. "Yes, Misaki Kruger. You can deliver this lovely packet to Shizuru-oneesama for me."

The snarl escaped my lips, still not moving my body. I waited for her to slip up.

"Down boy. You are a nasty little wolf aren't you?" She pressed closer, her knife never wavering. "Loyal, too I suppose. You did such a wonderful job protecting my oneesama on the beach. You were so poetic; the beautiful wolf prince to save the day."

"What?" I hissed out, it was getting difficult to keep my back straight.

A low chuckle emanated from the woman behind me, she lazily traced a finger up and down my back. Thankfully, Shizuru bought a binding that was made of whisper thin material and was hard to detect through regular clothing. "I see just about everything, Misaki-kun. Like today, your little cat was difficult for my people to shake, but for some reason she stopped when they left the department store."

Seizing on that, I took a gamble. "So you see everything, right? I guess you saw us on the bench that night next to the train station." Feeling her go stiff and the knife faltering I continued. "You know she has the softest, fullest lips that I have ever had the privilege to kiss. They taste like her favorite tea. You know the flavor right?"

"Yess" was the hissing response. "I must thank you because you've reminded me why I've hated you so."

"Why, because I'm not a crazy psychopathic bitch? Or because she likes me better than you?"

Suddenly, she spun me around, and forced my lower back against the table. Her blade was forgotten, resting against my ribs. She snarled in my face, grey eyes blazing with crazed hatred. "She loves me! She only gave you that kiss as a gift! Do not flaunt it, you bastard!"

I flowed into action. I couldn't capture her, but I was more focused on the knife. Squeezing her knife hand between my body and arm, I kneed her in the stomach.

She let out a grunt of pain and retreated, not before twisting her pinned hand and pulling the knife against the inside of my arm and ribs. Pain flared across my arm and body and blood welled out of the deep cuts she'd made.

Holding her stomach with one arm, she pulled out an item and slapped it against my chest. She then slunk off the patio and disappeared into the crowd of people.

I sat down and inspected my arm. There was a long red line that started below my elbow and slashed across my forearm and ended about an inch or so above my wrist. Judging by the way that the blood was slowly seeping out, the blade hadn't cut deep enough to hit the artery that was running the length of my arm. Lucky me. My fingers felt weird so I wiggled them-bad idea. Pain exploded from my hand and I sucked in a hissing breath of air.

Maybe it was a good idea not to mess with my ribs.

I was in no condition to go after her so I threw out my trash and pulled off my tee shirt to wrap around my injured forearm. Pressing my arm tightly against my body, I started off towards the hotel. . I was lucky to get to the hotel and up to Shizuru and my room without too much of a fuss. Too many people were busy hurrying about their lives to notice the quick and silent schuffle between us. The white shirt was slowly turning a dark pink. .

I knocked on the door, knowing that Shizuru would lock all of the locks. I leaned on it as a wave of blackness threatened to overcome me. Shizuru's muffled voice sounded off behind the door.

"It's me." I was surprised at the weak tone of my voice.

There was a gasp and a rattling of the locks before the door was thrown open. I fell into Shizuru and with surprising strength she pulled me into the room and shut the door.

"Bathroom. The tub is still full." She narrowed her eyes at my makeshift bandage.

We stumbled over to the bathroom, and Shizuru helped undress me. I couldn't use my cut arm so she had to pull off my tank and went to unbind my chest.

Weakly waving her hands away I groaned out "Don't, the bindings help keep the cut on my ribs closed."

Her frown deepened as she found my special delivery. She pulled it out of my pants pocket and threw it aside. "Sit." Pushing me to sit on the side of the tub, she yanked my pants off and undid all the straps to my gun holster. I had left my brace of knives in the room because I was sure I wouldn't need them.

Shizuru helped me twist on the ledge and lowered me in as gently as she could. Water sloshed over the ledge and I groaned as the hot liquid found my cuts.

"I'm going to call the EMT. You're losing blood fast and are going to need stitches." Shizuru quickly turned and tried to leave the room.

I shot my hand out grabbing hers before she could leave. "No, Youko-sensei. She's on my phone. Back pocket."

Covering her startled jump at the strength of my voice, she knelt and fished through my dis-guarded pants. Finding my phone, she tapped at the screen. I drifted off as Shizuru's melodic voice echoed through the large room.

Shaking me, Shizuru whispered, "Natsuki, stay awake. Youko-sensei is on her way. You're lucky, she's in Shibuya now." I could hear the tears in her voice as she asked, "What happened?"

Snorting, I said, "Your favorite fan and I just had a chat. Please just keep talking to me. I am just going to close my eyes now."

Shizuru grabbed my hand and began to rattle off the plans for tomorrow. I closed my eyes and relaxed into the heat of the tub.

* * *

**AN: This is the second version of this chapter! It should be more fluid thanks to the awesome advice of Athena Sampaio who is my Beta- any stupid stuff are a result of my efforts. **


	5. Knight School

_Knight School_

Rain beat against the window of Natsuki's apartment. It was nearing the end of August and the weather had become even more volatile. Just this morning the sun was shining brightly and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. I was lucky to make it to her apartment before the storm rolled in.

We were sitting on her small couch. I was reading, while Natsuki was watching one of her action movies. I was leaning against the armrest, my legs crossed over Natsuki's lap while she lazily traced light patterns into my bare thighs. Since we had come back to Fuuka City the Monday after my big live appearance in Ikebukuro I had barely left my bodyguard's side. Natsuki had sustained a slicing cut on her ribs, just under her right breast, and a long gash along her forearm that ended an inch or two above her wrist. While both wounds were rather deep, her forearm was worse off. Youko-sensei had said that the knife had actually sliced through a bundle of muscles below the elbow that connected to the tendons that moved her fingers. Her right arm was essentially useless. Natsuki only had full range of motion in her shoulder and had great difficultly moving the forearm. Wiggling her fingers was almost impossible.

Natsuki has been ordered to bed rest since then and Nao, Chie and Aoi had taken turns watching over me at the club while I practiced. Nao had even come along on one of my morning shows. She'd taken great delight in seducing the handsome host after the end of the show. It was great fun, watching the poor man turn into a puddle of raging hormones under the feline wiles of the red headed vixen. I let loose a small chuckle at the thought.

Grey silk washed over me as Natsuki shifted under my legs. "I have to change my bandages now. They're starting to itch."

Moving my legs off her so that she could get off the couch, I responded with a soft, "Do you need help?"

Emerald eyes flashed in the semi-darkness. "Nah, I can get them. I can move my fingers a bit more now." Grinning proudly, she moved her elbow and wiggled her fingers. "Still hurts like a bitch, though." She grunted as she flowed to her feet.

A small flash of worry ran through me. Ever since I've known her, Natsuki was never one to like to be confined to one area. I also sensed that she hated being coddled and probably didn't like having me here to see her in such a weakened state. Such a proud lone wolf, my Natsuki was. Shaking my head, I quietly got off the couch and moved to the open door of the bathroom.

The sight of Natsuki in only her shorts and sports bra was something to behold. Her silky soft black hair pooled against her back, reaching almost to her waist. Long well defined muscles rippled under her white skin as she worked to remove her bandages.

Unable to help myself, I slipped into the bathroom, running my hands softly down her back, across the bandages and finally slipping them around her waist, clasping them over her nicely toned abdomen. She shivered as my fingers brushed the skin of her back. I smiled; she must have a sensitive back. Pushing my nose into the crook of her neck, I breathed in the mixture of smells that made up Natsuki.

"You know, these aren't going to get done if you keep doing that." Natsuki's amused voice was somewhat deeper and incredibly seductive. I don't think she knew that she was doing that.

"Ara, I can help you with these, Nat-su-ki." I sang out while brushing my fingers across the wonderful plane of her taut stomach to play with the wrappings that were around her midsection.

I could feel the chuckle reverberating through her body. "Zuru, I know what you're thinking. Yes, you can help, but if you carry on with what you actually want to do, I'm suing your pretty ass for sexual harassment."

A thrill shivered down my spine when she used my nickname. I loved it when she called me that. My fingers found the end of the wrappings and I slowly removed them while trailing wet kisses across her bare shoulder. "So sue me, then." I purred in challenge.

"Okay." She suddenly spun around, taking advantage of my loose hold on her. Her strong, healthy arm pulled our hips together, her weaker arm was brought up to push my chin up so our lips brushed together. "Consider this my complaint." She said against my mouth before crushing her lips against mine.

Everything went blank as Natsuki moved against me. She was an excellent kisser, fierce but incredibly gentle at the same time. It wasn't surprising, considering her personality. Her hand brushed up against my side to grip me around my ribs right under my breast. I moaned into her mouth at the pulsing sensation that raced out from her touch and she took advantage by pulling me even closer, running her hands up and down my back.

Instinctually, I pushed back against her, pressing her back against the sink. In my fervor, I had accidently pressed the palm of my hand against her injured side in an attempt to pull her closer to me.

A groan, not of pleasure, but of pain escaped Nastuki as she pulled out of the kiss. We were both breathing heavily. Natsuki had paled; her face was a blotchy combination of red and white.

"Oh I'm so sorry!" I gently lifted her arm away from her body as I hastily un-wrapped the rest of the old bandages. With that complete, I quickly inspected the wound. It was angry and swollen, but the stitches were in place. Heaving a sigh in relief I closed my eyes. _Note to self: no more make out sessions while Natsuki is hurt. _

Fingers brushed against my forehead, then trailed against my cheek. "Princess, it's okay. I needed that, actually. I'm tired of being treated like I'm going to break at any time. Besides it was totally worth it."

I giggled. "Natsuki, you can't file a complaint against me if you like what I do to you." I found the antiseptic and poured it onto a piece of gauze. Gently pressing it across the length of her stitches, I carried on, "We need to talk about school. I have to be there soon, you know. I have to work on things in the Student Council."

Natsuki let out a hissing breath. "Yeah. Your father won't allow anyone but his own people to follow you around the school, yes?"

Giving pause at the strain in her voice I responded with a bitter, "Yes. They aren't very good, though. I have been able to escape them numerous times. I absolutely do not allow them into class with me. They intimidate the students and teachers and are far too distracting." Not to mention a couple of them had wandering hands. I didn't tell her that, because she would hunt those men down and make their lives miserable.

She nodded absently, her arms resting on my shoulders while I worked. "Problem is you are more vulnerable while in class to more subtle forms of harassment. If someone really wanted to, they could get after you and you wouldn't be able to defend yourself."

I bristled at that. I could take care of myself! She had said so herself. I shot Natsuki a heated glare before turning my attention back to my work.

Natsuki winced as I tightened the wrap a little tighter than necessary. "Ah, sorry, Zuru. That kinda came out wrong. What I meant was that while you'd normally get rid of any moron who tried to do anything to you, you're too polite to do anything about it during a lecture." Her fingers began to idly play with the tips of my hair.

Well, she had me there. It has happened before, actually. One of my overzealous admirers had groped my leg under a table in during class. Other than trying to grab at his wandering hand and shooting him glares, I did nothing. I was raised to remain polite, unflappable, in public situations. Besides, I simply didn't want to interrupt the class.

Instead of telling her that, I simply patted at the clasps of the bandage, signaling that I had finished. Moving out from under Natsuki's arms, I gestured at the bed. "Do you want to sit? I'll be able to finish with your arm quicker this way. I don't want to jostle it too much."

Natsuki scowled and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I guess so. I'm not gonna fall apart you know! This sucks royal-!" She cut herself off, remembering that I hated cursing. I held in a giggle as she stomped over to the bed, clean gauze in her hand.

Making sure she was watching my face I gave her a playful pout as I went about my business. I gave my voice a little tremble, "Does Natsuki not like to have me with her? I just wanted to make it up to her for putting her in such a bad position."

Natsuki's eyes widened in panic and she frantically waved her good arm around. "Zuru, of course I want you here! You keep me from going insane! Without you coming over these past couple of weeks I'd be a mess!"

I couldn't take it anymore, she was just too cute. I burst out laughing. Natsuki gaped at me, her mouth open in shock. That made me laugh even harder and tears formed in the corners of my eyes.

"Zuru!" She huffed and turned her face away.

"Kannin na. Natsuki is so cute when she is panicking, I couldn't help myself." I picked up her arm again and started to work the antiseptic into the exposed stitches.

Natsuki pouted and grumbled softly, "I'm not cute."

I giggled. "Yes you are. You are also sweet, funny, strong..."

"Alright, Alright. I get the picture! Hurry up so I can take you to dinner!"

That stopped me in my tracks. "Is Natsuki asking me out on a _date?" _

Her good hand reached behind her and sheepishly rubbed at the back of her head. "Well, yeah I guess. This is my way of thanking you for taking care of me." She tapped her newly wrapped arm. "Besides, it would be nice to get out of the apartment for a while."

Even though I was ecstatic, I hesitated. "Do you think that's a good idea? Your injury is rather obvious and I wouldn't want to blow our cover."

She waved away my concerns. "I'll wear something that has long sleeves and I'll give Nao a call to let her know where we'll be going. It'll look like you're having fun with one of your friends. Nao will be nearby, and even with a busted up arm I can still be useful." She hopped up out of bed and walked over to the coffee table to pick up a notebook, returning to the bed and handing it to me. "I'm ambidextrous, so I can handle my weapons just fine." She said while I turned the pages. It was a sketchbook, filled with beautiful drawings of just about everything.

I was inexplicably happy that the most recent ones were of me. They must have been the ones that she drew with her left hand. "These are very good. Natsuki is an exceptional artist."

She turned away, mumbling about needing to get dressed. I was a good girl and didn't watch her silhouette as she changed behind the privacy screen.

Natsuki had taken us to a lovely little _shabu shabu_ restaurant that was just a short walk away from her apartment. I was absently picking out my favorite vegetables from the hotpot, thinking over what was bothering me for the past couple weeks. So worried I was with helping Natsuki get better, I hadn't really thought of it. Since Natsuki was on the mend, I couldn't help but go back to it. Now that we had a full description of Tomoe, she struck me as someone familiar. Not only that, but the little package that she had given me through Natsuki was filled with pictures taken of me at different functions that my family were in and even older ones of me in my high school Student Council Presidential uniform.

"Shizuru, are you okay? You've been quiet all night." Natsuki's concerned voice floated over the table.

I sighed. "I've been thinking about Tomoe and those pictures that she gave us. I know that I have met her before but I am not sure when or where. She could have been a schoolmate. But then again, she may be an acquaintance from a prominent family..."

"Hey, don't worry about it. It'll come to you. She may have dug up those pictures as a way to mess with your head."

I knew that. Most stalkers need to have some form of control over their victims. This is usually done through psychological warfare: harassing phone calls, showing up at odd places, and so on. I'm lucky, in a sense. Tomoe isn't very subtle when she strikes, but she doesn't show up that often. While her pattern was strange, it wasn't as unusual as her use of those proxies. Many stalkers can't help themselves; they simply must be in the presence of their victims.

"Yes. But there is a chance that she has been stalking me for far longer than the beginning of the summer. That is the most troublesome part of this whole mess. I can even handle her little gang, since I now know what to look for." Natsuki had pulled out her phone and jabbed at it during my little speech. She did that a lot, even while she guarded me at the club. She explained that she had her perimeter people give her updates every so often and at any time they noticed anything unusual. I knew that she was listening to me while still keeping an eye on everyone who was close enough to be a threat. It was amazing, really.

Natsuki grunted at the phone then silently passed it to me so I could read the text. "Well, if you think about it, she had just given us a clue to her identity. If she is part of a prominent family then that narrows down the field. If she was a student at your school, Chie and Aoi will certainly find her."

I read the text: **move ur ass, mutt. u and fox r cuttin into my drinkin time. **Smiling I handed back the phone. "Poor Nao-chan. Tonight was her night off, right?"

Natsuki snorted, "Yeah, but shorty needs to slow down her drinking. She's gonna have a liver of a fifty year old by the time she's twenty-five."

My smile brightened as I realized what was happening. Natsuki had shown me the text as a subtle way of changing the topic to a lighter one and she asked Nao along as back up to keep her from drinking herself silly. Really, this girl is too kind. "Ara, Natsuki is so sweet. She always looks after her friends."

Natsuki colored and stuttered out an 'Idiot' before grabbing a thin slice of beef with her chopsticks to swish around in the bubbling soup of the hot pot. My polite giggling was interrupted by my phone vibrating on the table.

"Hello, Fujino Shizuru speaking." I said after accepting the call. The number looked vaguely familiar.

"_Good evening, Shizuru-chan._" I sat up straighter than I already was; it was my father

"Good evening, father." I replied in my warm neutral tone. Natsuki raised an eyebrow at me, knowing that I was not as calm as I seemed.

"_Those interviews in Tokyo turned out to be an excellent strategy. The polls suggest that my popularity has gone up. There is a great chance that I will be elected to the Diet in a couple of weeks." _He paused and I braced myself for the bad news. This always happens. _"I've been reading the newspapers, darling. That boy that Lu-san has hired is rather good looking, isn't he?" _

I stiffened. Natsuki grew still, watching me intently. "Father, those newspapers are just fishing. Kruger-kun and I are friends. He has helped me through trying times."

"_Yes, but those pictures of you walking down the street in Shibuya certainly do not imply that you are friends. I do not need a scandal, Shizuru." _Any warmth that he had in his voice had fled.

I sighed. Those pictures were such a pain in the rear. I was teasing Natsuki by grabbing her arm and leaning into her shoulder. As a result, the paparazzi had taken a picture of 'Misaki' and me walking in a rather intimate way.

Feeling Natsuki's hot emerald gaze on me I focused on her. She was rather good at sensing when I was upset. Smiling at her I responded to my father, "I was simply tired and Kruger-kun kindly offered his arm to lean on. He is ever the gentleman."

Probably figuring out his intimidation tactic wasn't working, he replied gently. _ "I do not want to see you hurt. He is rather handsome and I do not wish to have you fall to his charms only to be hurt. He is a mere bodyguard, after all. You should look somewhere else for romance."_

_Too late, father. I have already fallen. _ I thought with a grimace. _You have no idea._

I put some steel into my voice. "I hope that you aren't implying that Kruger-kun and I are doing anything illicit? And for that matter, since when have you bothered to care about my personal life?"

Natsuki hadn't moved but her gaze intensified tenfold. I shivered, thinking that I would never get used to her when she did this. She was dead sexy, with her eyes burning green fire and her face looking like sculpted marble.

"_I do care, Shizuru-chan. I wish for you to be happy. I have a feeling that this…young man will be a problem. I want you to dismiss him immediately." _ Aristocratic distain floated through the speaker.

I hissed out a breath. "Father, I will not dismiss him. He is a good friend and an excellent bodyguard. He and his team figured out how my stalker has been coming after me and has done an admirable job in deterring further advances from my fans. Your people could barely keep their own hands off of me, let alone do their jobs! He makes me feel safe and I will not lose that because you think that he will ruin my reputation." I paused and spat out, "Or are you worried about his birthright or the money?"

Silence reigned from the opposite phone. I hit the proverbial nail on the head.

A soft rumbling emanated from the seat across from me. Looking up, I saw that Natsuki's lips were pulled back into a snarl. I needed to calm her down and fast. I slid out of my seat and moved around to sit next to her. Reaching out, I gently placed my hand against her stomach.

"It's okay, N-Misaki-kun. I am fine. Please calm down."

"_He is with you? At this time of night?" _My father was incredulous.

"Yes he is with me. I am out with friends at a local restaurant. We are celebrating the beginning of the new school semester. He noticed that I was upset and came over to make sure I was okay." The lie slipped easily from my lips as I absently began to trace patterns against Natsuki's belly, feeling her slowly relax.

"Shizuru-san, I want to talk to your father." Her eyes were still hard. However, now that she had calmed down, she went back to glancing at the people around the table.

I nodded silently. My father was not going to let this go until 'Misaki' talked to him. Natsuki had sensed this too.

"Father, Kruger-kun wishes to speak with you." Without waiting for an answer, I passed the phone over to Natsuki and leaned against the back of the bench, my hand still on her abdomen. She lowered her voice into a passable imitation of Misaki and spoke quietly into the phone. Silently, I listened to her reassure my father that she wouldn't do anything to me, the food forgotten.

Natsuki hung up the phone and switched off her voice alternator. "Zuru, your dad's a bastard. But he says that he trusts me with your virtue and hopes to meet me soon. Thing is that he didn't ask me how I was going to protect my virtue from your advances."

I burst out laughing and swatted at her shoulder for swearing. Nastuki always knew what to say. Then I sighed, knowing that while he had backed off for now, my father would certainly find another reason to question Natsuki being with me.

* * *

The bell rang for the first class of the day just as I found a seat in the front row of the lecture hall. I don't usually like to sit in the front of the class because my back was to everyone else, but it did have its advantages. One was that most students preferred to sit in the back. If another student happened to sit next to me, our closeness to the instructor acted as a deterrent against any unwanted attention.

I noticed that the instructor, Kagashima-sensei, had come in a little late and sat up. He's never late.

Sensei tapped on his lectern, calling attention to everyone in the class. "Good morning everyone. I am glad to see so many old faces. Before I take attendance, I would like to introduce everyone to our new transfer student. She's a returnee from the United States and her Japanese is very good, but she may need help on her kanji." He turned to the door and gestured for the behind it. "Kuga-san, please come in."

_No way. _I fought to keep my mouth from dropping open in shock as I watched Natsuki, who was dressed in her patented leather jacket and tank and a pair of very form fitting black leather pants, saunter across the room and park herself next to Kagashima.

Whispers erupted as Natsuki turned to defiantly glare at the students in the class. A soft wolf whistle was cut off when Natsuki stared daggers at the source. Shaking my head to hide my smile, I thought that Natsuki might've bitten off more than she could chew. College students were a different breed. The reaction from the students in the class was expected. She looked like a freaking dominatrix biker chick for crying out loud!

Sensei had enough of the ogling, so he cleared his throat. "This is Natsuki Kuga, please be kind to her."

An over eager male student spoke out from the back of the class. "I'll be kind to you Kuga-san." The class exploded into laughter and good natured catcalls.

"Alright guys, this isn't high school! Don't bug her too much. Kuga, please find a seat."

I chuckled at the jostling that I heard from the class, knowing that Natsuki was going to sit close to me. Marching to my row, she sat down emphatically with a seat between us and crossed her arms. I eyeballed her and smirked when she blushed pink. Naturally, she shot me a glare before turning her nose up at me. Oh yes, this semester was going to be fun indeed.

The early afternoon sun burned down on the small grassy area in the middle of Fuuka University. Mai, Natsuki and I were enjoying a lovely little picnic for lunch. I brought the large blanket and Mai cooked our bentos. Usually, only Mai and I had lunch together, but today I dragged Natsuki along under pretense that I was giving the transfer student a tour of the school. It was my duty as School Council President, after all.

Mai still had trouble meeting Natsuki's eyes as she had nearly fainted from excitement due to Natsuki calling out to her. Natsuki, covering up that she had been hanging out with Mai for the past two and a half months as Misaki, had told Mai that she could never forget someone so memorable. I laughed because she said it with such a straight face and was completely oblivious to her effect on the younger girl.

Natsuki had explained to Mai that due to Misaki not being allowed to guard me at the university, she had enrolled as a student to keep an eye on things here. Because she was a year younger than me, she couldn't enroll in my two advanced classes, but she made sure that she was in classes that were nearby. She also said that she was excited because this was her first time undercover.

"Ah so you, Chie and Aoi are all surveillance?" Mai asked, probably remembering that Natsuki had been a 'surveillance intern' when she had visited the club a couple months ago. "So, they've hired you, then? That's great!"

Natsuki nodded and picked up her bowel of ramen. Her eyes grew huge as she tasted Mai's cooking for the first time.

"This stuff is so good Mai!" Natsuki moaned while stuffing her face with as much food as she could. "I don't even know what it is, but I don't really care." I giggled; she must have been living off fast food since last week. I couldn't make it over to her place because of my Council duties and she refused to have Anh over because Anh had teased her mercilessly her first time playing nursemaid to the injured bodyguard.

"Th-thank you Natsuki-san, it's nothing really. I didn't even have the right ingredients." Poor Mai was blushing under the praise.

"It's Natsuki. How many times do I have to tell you to drop the 'san'?" Natsuki playfully growled.

Picking up a rice ball, I took a dainty bite out of it finding that it was delicious as usual. "I must agree with Natsuki, Mai-chan. You manage to make the most interesting onigiri." I gave her a sweet smile, causing the poor girl to grow even redder.

Natsuki, deciding that she was far too hot for her jacket, gingerly shrugged it off. She had to move slowly because of her injuries but unfortunately she doing so with that unusual grace of hers, giving her movements unconscious sensuality.

Someone in the gathering crowd of onlookers shouted, "Hey transfer student! Show us some more skin!"

I sighed, hoping that my circling bodyguards would disperse the crowd. It was doubtful though, they were ridiculously bad at handling crazed fans; they were too stiff and resorted to intimidation tactics too easily.

Natsuki shook out her hair and flowed to her feet, "Hey! Any of you morons heard of manners! Move it before I get-!"

She was cut off by a shout in the crowd. Then a black blur shot between Natsuki and me. We both turned at Mai's squeal and a thumping sound.

Mikoto had managed to find her way to Mai and was now snuggling herself between the perky girl's ample breasts.

I stole a glance at Natsuki. She apparently forgot about the crowd and was gaping at the cat like teen. I giggled behind my hand as I turned to the couple.

"Mikoto-chan, however did you find us?" I asked warmly

"Shizuru oneechan!" Mikoto jumped up from a shell shocked Mai and tackled me. I laughed and mussed her spiky black hair. "Auntie Anh dropped me off and said that I should keep Natsuki from harassing you and say 'Hi' to Mai! I looked for a long time, but I smelled Mai's ramen and followed the scent here." She lifted her head from the valley between my breasts and cocked her head to the side. "Who's Natsuki?"

I gently grasped her head and turned it so she could take a look at the raven haired biker, "Mikoto, this is Natsuki. Natsuki, this is Mikoto."

Mikoto took an aggressive stance and pointed a finger at the bewildered Natsuki. "You better not be harassing Nee-chan! I don't care how pretty you are!" Mikoto then got into Natsuki's personal space and began to inspect her closely.

Mai and I shared amused looks as Nastuki stood stock still under the teen's scrutiny.

"Natsuki smells a lot like Mi-chan. So I guess she's okay." Mikoto then pounced on the poor green eyed beauty, hugging her fiercely. "She kind of feels like Mi-chan too."

I sighed; Mikoto is surprisingly perceptive sometimes. Hopefully, she won't put two and two together.

"Hey, Hey! Pip squeak! I don't know who this Mi-chan is but I don't like being jumped on by rabid animals!" Natsuki winced as she wiggled out of Mikoto's grasp. Her right arm, covered in a fashionable forearm sleeve to hide the wrappings, was useless against the enthusiastic teen's assault.

Mai came to the rescue. "Mikoto, I have some ramen left over! Come get it while it's hot! Poor Natsuki needs to eat the rest of her food too."

"'Kay!" Mikoto released Natsuki, bounding over to Mai's side. Mai handed her a bowel of ramen and she dug in with zeal.

"Mi-chan is Misaki-kun. Mikoto and Arika are quite fond of him" I paused. "As is Mai-chan."

"Shizuru-san! That's mean! What if Natsuki tells him?" Mai burned bright red.

Natsuki chuckled. "It's okay Mai, your secret's safe with me. I remember hearing about Mikoto and Arika from him. He likes them a lot, too."

Mai nodded and said thoughtfully, "You know, Natsuki's already causing a buzz on campus. I'm not even in the same complex as you, being an English major and all that, and yet all the boys were practically drooling at the chance to see her."

"Ara, Natsuki is so beautiful, it's no wonder that she already has fans." I teased. "Especially when she dresses like a sexy biker girl on her first day of class," I added with a devilish grin.

Natsuki's green eyes widened and she glanced at her attire, "Oh, shit. Guess you're right. I hadn't been able to ride in a while so I wanted to wear some of my gear."

Mai giggled when I glared at Natsuki for swearing. "Shizuru-san, maybe Natsuki will end up taking some of your fans away. She is so charming and a little on the masculine side, despite her looks. The guys will probably be scared away from her because of her intensity, but the girls, well…" She shrugged, trailing off with a blush on her face.

_Oh, you have only scratched the surface, Mai._

Natsuki looked panicked. "Really? Crap! Shizuru's fans are about as crazy as they come!" She turned huge puppy eyes on me. "Shizuru, what do I do?"

I laughed. "Don't worry Natsuki; most of the fans here are harmless, even if a little enthusiastic. Usually, they only bother me while walking to class and the like. Otherwise, they are too busy studying."

"Yeah, they were way worse in high school. Like, some days Shizuru-san had to fight her way into the Student Council office because the number of fans was so great. I learned to stay away from the office if I wanted to get to class on time." Mai piped in. I knew of Mai in high school but other than the occasional meeting (she was in a lot of clubs) we weren't that close. It wasn't until she began working at _The HiMe Star_ that we became friends. Takumi had a lot to do with our solid friendship.

"Yes, I've told Misaki this already, but he believes that Tomoe could find her way on to campus."

Natsuki shot me a worried glance. "I think Misaki is just covering all his bases. I mean, he told me that he doesn't trust your bodyguards as far as he can throw them and since this Tomoe got the drop on him, I would think that she is smart enough to figure out where you're going to school."

During the conversation, Mikoto had finished her meal and fell asleep in Mai's lap. Mai was absently petting the top of younger girl's head. "Tomoe? That's the name of your stalker, Shizuru-san? That's a rather unique name. Could you describe her, if it's alright? I want to be of some help, I don't want you to be punished simply because you are you."

I blushed slightly at that. Mai was the kindest person I know. Takumi is adorable. Paying for Takumi's hospital bills was the least I could do for the sweet siblings. I shot Natsuki a questioning glance.

Natsuki looked relieved, so I nodded. "Well, this is what Misaki told me. I was drugged when she attacked me so I couldn't really focus on much besides her face. She has slanted grey eyes, a strange asymmetrical hair style and she is about Nao's size but not as petite. Her hair is dyed a green color at the tips."

Mai gasped, "Shizuru-san, I think I know who that is! I remember in school there was a freshman that would always hang out away from the group of fans that were around you. She was constantly in committees that you were in or once you were President, required your presence. She was the head of the Cultural Festival committee during your year as President." She paused for breath and glanced at Natsuki. She had gone still again and was staring at her with her quiet intensity. Mai shivered.

"Natsuki, I think you should call Misaki with this great news. Chie-san and Aoi-san are probably eager to show off their considerable snooping skills." I suggested, my voice snapping her out of her trance.

She shook her head, her hair glinting blue in the sun. "Sorry, Mai. I'll see you in class Shizuru."

Mai and I watched her prowl off with her phone to her ear. We both heaved simultaneous sighs and burst out into giggles.

"She is something else, isn't she? I thought she was going to eat me and yet I wouldn't have minded. You and she are very similar, even though you have completely different personalities. You both can leave people in a mess with just a glance." Mai said as she shook Mikoto awake.

I blinked and stood up. "I suppose. But she is oblivious as to what her affect is on people."

Mai chuckled. "Shizuru-san, you yourself don't even know what you do to people. Yes, you consciously tease and flirt but I believe you do it as a way to keep people away from you. You know you are good looking yet you are unaware of your true allure. It is the same with Natsuki." Mai glanced at me and carried on, "That's why you are so kind, why the kids flock to you. They don't necessarily care about your looks; they are just a bonus to them."

"Ara, Mai-chan is becoming wise isn't she? I am not as great as everyone thinks, but I am glad that Mai-chan believes in me so. I am honored to be held in such high esteem by her. She is more deserving of the praise than I could ever be." It was true. I gave her a warm smile as Mikoto and I folded the blanket and she gave me a shy smile in response, knowing that the praise was genuine.

* * *

It was about a week later and I was sitting at _The HiMe Star_'s bar talking with Mai about her favorite topic: Natsuki, as Misaki of course.

"This is so exciting. Misaki is coming back!" Mai squealed as she was going through her opening preparations.

"Mai-chan, you must be gentle with him. His stitches may be out, but there's still a chance his wounds may pull open again." I responded after taking a drink from my water bottle. JUN was putting us through our paces because our end of summer blow-out event was fast approaching.

I gave JUN a wave and jumped at the loud bang of a door being thrown open. Nastuki, dressed immaculately as Misaki, stormed in. She marched straight past the bar and bulled open the employee's only door on her way over to Anh's office. Mai and I watched her curiously. Natsuki rarely showed her temper unless provoked.

"He's so hot even when he's angry." Mai sighed dreamily.

I almost snorted, but opted to shake my head instead. Mai had fallen for 'Misaki' ever since he sat down at her bar to buy a bottle of water so he could watch over me while I practiced. She offered it for free but he turned it down and then gave her a tip. She thought it was the sweetest thing and had been trying to get him into a proper conversation ever since.

"Remember, he bites when he's like that." I said with a chuckle, hopping off the bar stool to see what the whole thing was about.

Mai had seen what Natsuki had done to one of my overzealous fans during one of my live interviews in Tokyo. The man had gotten past the barrier and had almost made it to me when Natsuki had flashed in and clotheslined the poor guy. She then flipped him on his stomach and tied his hands behind his back with some zip strips that she always kept on her. Natsuki had been iratethat the station's security was so flimsy and they didn't make an effort to tighten it up. The fan was unfortunate enough to try that stunt when Natsuki was angry.

Mai noticed my movements and shrugged, "Still gorgeous. You're so lucky, Shizuru-san. He only talks to you and Anh-san. He is so shy around everyone else. And I barely talk to him because I'm usually stuck behind the bar." She replied, somewhat dejectedly and tapping her hand on the shinning dark wood.

"You know he and I really only talk about my protection and work. He hardly has enough time to socialize. He's really focused." I said over my shoulder as I walked slowly over to the door Natsuki had entered earlier.

_Whoa, Natsuki is really upset_. I thought as I approached Anh's closed door. Natsuki's deepened voice reverberated through the door.

"I don't know what to do Anh. The damn school won't let Chie and Aoi get near the personal records of previous students!" Something slammed into the wall, shaking it.

"Misaki-chan, don't get so bent out of shape. Have you been updating the police? If so, they can get a warrant for those records. Chie and Aoi still have those other clues to go on too, so you still have other options." Anh soothed her melodious voice low and calm.

Natsuki lowered into a gruff husk. "Don't use 'chan', it's too girly."

"Ara, but you are too cute for your own good, Misaki-chan." Anh giggled.

I took the opportunity to slip into the room. Lucky for me, Natsuki was glaring at Anh and her back was to the door. Sliding in behind her, I let out a small chuckle.

Natsuki jumped and spun around, blue green eyes widened in shock. "Cheese and rice, Shizuru! How many times do I have to tell you to not sneak up behind me like that!" She had been scared into speaking English, which was adorable.

"Misaki is so cute when he speaks English. He says the most amusing things!" I spoke in singsong Japanese clapping my hands in delight. Anh's giggling grew into soft laughs.

Our victim huffed and pushed past me to the closed door. "Women! I'm doing a parameter check. Stay here Shizuru so I can help you check your room." She ordered in Japanese.

Just as Natsuki reached out to the door Nao rushed in. She was late, as usual. Natsuki's already red face went volcanic. "Nao Zhang, DJ extraordinaire at your ser…vice…" She trailed off, looking at our expressions in her calculated nonchalance.

"Nao." Natsuki growled through clenched teeth.

Nao's sharp eyes narrowed at Natsuki and she reached up to pat her on the head. "Aw. Did the fox not give you a bone, mutt?" She asked with a smirk.

My eyes widened in shock. That was wrong on so many levels. I stole a glance at Anh and wasn't surprised to see that she had a grin on her face. Nao and Anh both had a very dirty sense of humor.

"Nao!" Natsuki barked, "Your scrawny ass is so dead!"

The red head cackled wildly and bolted, shouting insults at Natsuki, who had disappeared after her.

"Ah, it's nice to have him back. It's been rather quiet with him out." Anh said through her giggles.

I slid into her visitor's chair with a sigh. "Yes. But I am still worried that he could go overboard. His arm is still weak."

Anh came around the desk and patted my knee. "He knows his limits and is relying more on his teammates. I think the combination of that incident at the beach and being attacked in Tokyo has made him realize that he cannot always do everything himself." Her hand moved up to my cheek to brush at it with the back of her fingers. "I am thankful that I had decided to call ARTEMIS. Misaki is not only an excellent bodyguard, but he is a great friend to you. Your confidence is back and I have never seen you smile more. Misaki has managed to chase away the shadows and you're shining again. He has given me my Shi-chan back."

I put my hand on hers and leaned into the warmth. "Thank you so much, Anh. You were willing to bear my father's wrath for hiring ARTEMIS without his permission. Misaki has become a precious person to me."

Anh scoffed and put her hands on her hips. "You're father's bodyguards are incompetent buffoons. And who I hire to protect my employees is none of his business." She stopped her ranting and shot me a shrewd look. "He found out about Misaki, huh?"

"Yes, he has been keeping up on the tabloids and saw a picture of us walking very close together. He called me a couple weeks ago to make sure that I wasn't doing anything with him."

"Well, we know you won't get pregnant. You haven't 'done anything,' have you?" Anh spoke with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

"No! Anh, don't be crude. You're starting to sound like Nao-chan." I scolded.

Anh leaned in and whispered, "Oh, Shi-chan I know that you and Natsuki are close. She's totally you're type. I know you've done something with her. I just want to know if you've gone further than kissing."

Damn Anh and her intuition. I sighed and whispered, "It's none of your business Anh. But I'll only tell you that she and I have only kissed so far."

I was saved from further interrogation by a knock at the door.

"It's Tate, Anh-san. I have a delivery for Viola-san." Yuuchi Tate spoke through the solid wood.

Anh and I started to the door but she motioned me back into my seat before opening it. Tate was hidden behind a large bouquet of flowers. They were beautifully arranged, all of the blossoms were shades of red. Anh chuckled and took the package to set it on her desk. Tate stood just inside the door, politely waiting for his employer to dismiss him. She was looking at the present keenly, inspecting it for any surprises.

"There's a card on the side here." I said pointing at the white envelope. I was not to touch any presents unless Natsuki, her team or Anh looked at them first. Tomoe, among others, have left me some really nasty things in my mail.

Anh plucked it out and pulled at the contents inside. As she read the note, her eyes hardened. When she was done, she raised her head, "Tate-kun, I need you to find Nao and Misaki. Tell them to get here on the double. Please shut the door on the way out."

Tate bowed and bolted, spurred into action by Anh's unusually sharp voice. Any good feelings from our earlier conversation fled leaving wariness behind.

"Anh, I would like to see what it is before Misaki comes in." I stood up and walked over to where she was standing. I knew Natsuki would never let me touch the items because they could be used to track down whoever sent them.

Anh gently put the note and something that looked like newspaper clippings on her desk, careful not to touch the middle of the items. "Okay, but these are really weird. Even for you."

I read the note first, thinking that it would prepare me for the pictures that I was certain was on the second item in the envelope. I was right and wrong.

_Shizuru- oneesama,_

_ I hope that my present finds you in good health. I got them because they remind me of the color of your eyes. The first time we met, you were like a sun goddess, radiating brilliance to those around you. I was upset about a trivial matter and you had asked if I was okay. You were so kind to me that I could not stop thinking of you from then on. _

_ You are so pure that you do not see the devils in your presence, sullying you. That's what's so amazing about you, Shizuru –oneesama; you can be nice to a mangy dog. I know that you allow Misaki Kruger in your presence out of sheer benevolence. But it is my belief that a rabid animal should be put down. I would like to talk with you in person soon, so we can finally see eye to eye. _

_Ever yours,_

_Tomoe _

I shuddered and caught a whiff of some sort of women's Eu DE Toilette. "So old fashioned, scenting her letters with her perfume." I muttered, turning to the collage of pictures.

It was no better than the letter. There were pictures of me in high school, many shot at a distance. There were also clippings from newspapers and magazines, most of them were of me at my interviews. The now 'infamous' picture of Natsuki and I walking down the street in Shibuya had graffiti all over Natsuki's body. Even more disturbing was a picture of Natsuki and me kissing that night at the beach. However, Tomoe had cut out Natsuki's face. I cursed inwardly, because she hadn't slipped up and put in a picture of her own face in the void.

The door banged open. I didn't look up because I knew that Natsuki had just barged in.

"Shizuru! Anh! Is everyone okay?" Natsuki was tense and Nao narrowed her eyes at Tate.

"You moron! They're fine! You made it sound like the fox and the boss lady were attacked!" Nao raised her fist at the poor security guard.

"Nao-chan, please don't hit my employees. He was merely acting on my orders; even if he was a little over exuberant." Anh sighed and waved her hand. "Thank you Tate-kun, you may take a break."

Natsuki marched over to the desk as Tate bowed himself out and shut the door. "That little shit!" she bit out after scanning the note and pictures.

"Chill out mutt! You know that she's just trying to separate you and the fox. Tomoe needs to make the fox vulnerable again, so she's easier to control." Nao said truthfully.

I had to agree with the petite woman. Before Natsuki came around, I felt so exposed to Tomoe. The girl had wormed her way into every facet of my life, making me feel like she was shadowing everything that I did. Because she recruited so many people to help her, I couldn't put up a solid defense against her. And stalkers are so hard for police to stop because it's so difficult to prove stalking behavior. In my case, I couldn't even identify the person since she had so many layers between her and me.

Natsuki's angry husk brought me out of my musings. "Nao I need you to see if you can find where these flowers came from."

Nao nodded. "I'll ask the idiot to give me the delivery slip and have him describe the delivery boy to me. Chie and Aoi can help me out. Do you want me to do anything before the police do?" The eagerness for some action was evident in her posture.

"No. We are only consultants. Besides, when we finally catch up to the bitch, we'll need the police to want to help us. Gather as much as you legally can."

Nao scowled and left the room in a huff. I sighed and put an arm around Natsuki's waist so I could lean into her. She wrapped a protective arm around my shoulders.

I caught Anh smiling from ear to ear; her eyes were big and shining. "You two are the most adorable things in the world! It's almost too much for my frail heart!"

"I am not cute." Natsuki mumbled, turning red in the face. I grinned and pulled her into a tighter hold.

"Okay, my cuties! Let's get the police over here, so I can get my office back." Anh good naturally ordered. "I assume that I'll need to get a replacement DJ for Nao-chan?"

Natsuki shook her head, "Nah, Nao's going to snoop around until she needs to come back. She still has to keep up appearances. You can handle the police, right? Could you take pictures for Chie and Aoi? I still need to look over Shizuru's room."

She released me and took my gym bag from behind Anh's desk. Since I had come early to practice, I left all of my things in Anh's office, as per Natsuki's orders. Anh's office was the most secure place in the building and she almost never left it until right before opening or closing. Only after Natsuki or the others cleared my own dressing room was I allowed to use it for the evening.

"I'll take care of everything here." Anh waved us out the door.

I watched as Natsuki searched the interior of my room. She prowled around, pausing here and there, checking for any misplaced item. I mused at how beautiful she was even though she was wearing men's clothes and a wig. I shivered as her glittering eyes shifted to me. She gave me a slow nod, signaling me that it was okay to enter the room.

I had planned on snuggling into her with a proper hug, but she stopped me with a finger to my lips. Lifting the other to her own she flicked her gaze to my right. I followed her gaze to a picture that looked out of place. Slowly, she moved to that picture and lifted it up revealing a small wireless camera. I nodded; she liked to teach me simple ways to check for bugs and other things. This was the second device that had found its way into my dressing room. Despite all of the surveillance we could not find out who exactly put the devices into my room. The door was in an unfortunate area where it was extremely difficult to get a camera to cover it. The camera that was trained on it was at a terrible angle, making it difficult to identify people.

Natsuki crushed the device by pulling it out of the picture and stomping on it. "I hope the audio feedback really messes up their ears." She sighed. "I still can't figure out how people get back here. I am pretty sure that they aren't employees of Anh's. The maintenance and cleaning company refused to hand over the records of the employees who clean here. The cops can't get a warrant for it either."

I patted her shoulder. "Don't worry, Misaki-kun. You are doing a fine job. Tomoe hasn't been able to come close to me since you've been at my side." I gently played with the bandage that was showing on her arm. "The number of people who harass me has gone down too. Please don't over extend yourself. I don't want to see you tired out over something that you can't control."

"Alright. I'll let you get ready. Knock 'em dead." Natsuki shut the door after giving me a reassuring squeeze.

The night flew by without a hitch, but I couldn't get rid of the nagging feeling of being watched. I hadn't felt like this since before Natsuki began to guard me. Although it wasn't as strong, it still poked at my defenses and I couldn't shake it off.

Finally, it was time for Natsuki to drive me home on her motorcycle. I still didn't like them, but I was reassured by Natsuki's skill handling the machine. I pressed myself as close as I could, savoring the solidity of her body.

Natsuki walked me to my door and waited for me to open it and go inside. I knew she wouldn't leave until she heard the locks close. Opening it, I turned around and leaned up against the inside of the door.

"Could you stay with me tonight? I have had a bad feeling since that note was delivered to me." I pleaded with her through my eyes despite my calm voice.

Natsuki sighed and stated plainly, "I knew something was off. But I don't know if that's a good idea. Tomoe already noticed that we are closer than a normal bodyguard and client should be." The intense look she gave me betrayed the logical tone in her voice.

Taking a step closer I raised my lips to press them against her cheek, leaving them there longer than necessary. "Please." I pleaded quietly. Damn it, I was going to cry.

Suddenly, strong arms crushed me into Natsuki's solid body. I clung to the fabric of her leather jacket. "Okay, I'll come in. I hate it when you cry." One of Natsuki's hands gently stroked the back of my head. "It has been a long night. I think we both need the rest."

I nodded into her shoulder and pulled out of her warmth. Following me into the apartment, Natsuki closed the door with a soft click. Natsuki borrowed my spare set of Pajamas and had removed her wig to allow her hair to flow freely. I had to convince her to join me in my bed after she went through a security check. She was going to sleep on the couch but I wanted her with me so I pulled her into the room.

When she was settled on one side of the bed, I turned off the lights and crawled into bed. Exhaustion hit me hard as I settled into my covers. Natsuki's weight shifted the mattress behind me and her arms enveloped me, pulling me into her. I sighed, feeling safe again.

"Thank you, my Natsuki." I whispered, drifting off to her steady breathing.

* * *

**AN: Yay! Another Shizuru chapter! I hope this one is up to snuff even though it's not action packed. **

**Shabu shabu is a Japanese hot pot dish in which one boils meat and veggies by swishing the food in the soup. Shabu shabu is the Japanese sound effect of the food cooking as it's swished around. It's super yummy and fun to eat with lots of people. **

**Thank you to all of the reviewers, you guys really help me out! I truly happy that you all like my story so much, it makes all the hard work worth it. **


	6. Summer's Snow Maiden

_Revised! This has been beta'd by Athena Sampaio. All the awesome changes are a result of her excellent work! Any mistakes are my own. _

_I am honestly surprised and happy that so many have stuck with me through this. Thank you all once more for your reviews. _

_On to chapter 6._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Mai Hime/Otome_

* * *

_Summer's Snow Maiden_

My breath was coming in short bursts as I sprinted down the halls of Building 2 on the Fuuka Daigakuen campus. Cursing under my breath, I tried to find a place to hide. Leaning against a closed door, my eyes trained on the hallway straining to see any movement. Seeing that no one was coming down, my body released its tension. Damn fans! Since I enrolled in the school, I had gained a fan base that was even more rabid than Shizuru's! The worst part was that they were all girls! Men, I could freeze on the spot with my glare and words, but these crazy bitches thought my glare was a freaking invitation. Sure, Shizuru was followed around like she was the Pied Piper, but that's all the students did. It was as if she was too sacred to touch.

Me? Well, apparently I was touchable because I'd been groped, grabbed and all around harassed since word spread about the Ice Prince. Why I was considered a Prince was beyond my comprehension. Masculine personality aside I liked my girl clothes and especially my extensive collection of lingerie even though wearing stuff like that was highly unpractical in my profession. Taking down a perp or protecting a celeb from a mob of crazed fans was uncomfortable in lacey undies. Really, my hair was the only thing that I refuse to compromise on. Sure it got in the way sometimes and was a bit of a hazard, but it was something that I dealt with.

Shizuru had no nickname; she was referred as Kaichou-sama reverently by everyone on campus. I on the other hand was like a freaking rock star; droves of screaming young women waited for me to drive in on my motorcycle and there had been several fist fights in attempts to get closer to me. Unbelievable right? No matter how much I huffed and puffed and blew their collective houses down, this wolf could not keep them away from her. It pissed me off because I couldn't properly look after Shizuru while running for my dear virtue's life.

The funny thing was that I was safe as long as I had Shizuru at my side. The majority of my fans were also Kaichou-sama fans and they had formed a "ShizNat" fan club. They had noticed how the two most inapproachable women on campus had become fast friends. They seemed content in watching our interactions, instead of sexually harassing me at every turn. For my safety, and to Shizuru's delight, I had taken to sticking by Shizuru's side more often than I normally would have. Twisted huh?

Without warning, the door I was leaning on opened. Letting out a short yelp, I threw out my arms in an attempt to stop my backwards fall. My decent was stopped abruptly by something soft and hands gripping at my shoulders.

"Ara, I had hoped that Natsuki would fall for me, but not quite this literally." Shizuru's warm voice vibrated through my back.

"No need to worry about that," I muttered while straightening up and turning to face her. She looked good today as usual. Sharply dressed in a white off shoulder tight tee shirt and a rather short and tight kaki colored skirt, she managed to look classy while wearing something that was on the racy side. Her wedged sandals showed off her seemingly endless legs.

I mentally slapped myself. We were starting to unconsciously match our outfits. Today I was wearing a light silvery shirt with long belled out sleeves and a navy blue short jean skirt. My high heeled strappy sandals still made me taller than her, which was kind of funny.

I caught myself as I gazed into her dancing crimson eyes. Speaking up louder to hopefully cover for my staring, I said, "Thanks, I could have messed up my head there."

Shizuru giggled and was about to respond when I clamped a hand around her mouth and pushed her into the room, closing the door softly behind me. Taking my hand off her mouth I shoved her against the wall next to the door and pressed against her with my hands on either side of her head. Shizuru was grinning like a fool and was about to throw out a comment. In a panic, I leaned down a little and sealed her mouth with a kiss. My ears were listening to the shouts of my fans as they ran past us but Shizuru was doing highly distracting things with her long fingered hands.

I know that Shizuru was aware that I was running from my fans, but she was never one to not take an opportunity when it presented itself to her. Like a moron, I fell into her little traps and did stupid stuff like kissing her in an empty classroom.

The noise outside the classroom had dissipated so I tried to break the kiss. Shizuru had different ideas; she followed me and pushed me backwards until I was forced to sit on one of the desks near the front of the class. She released her lips from mine as she straddled me, only to trail scintillating heat down my neck to nip at the sensitive area close to the hollow of my neck.

This was bad, yet felt so good. We could get caught, and then everything would go to hell in a handbag. My traitorous hands trailed up her thighs and I marveled at the soft skin I felt there. Vaguely, I could hear my good girl voice screaming bloody murder, telling me to stop. I told her to butt out because Shizuru simply felt too good.

I felt her reflexively clamp down on my neck in response to my wandering hands and winced, letting out a breathy gasp as fingernails raked down my back, close to my spine. Damn woman was using my ticklish back as a weapon against me. Those nails felt so good though. I returned the favor by nipping and licking at her exposed collarbone. I was satisfied to hear a soft musical moan from above me.

Footsteps pattered around outside the door and I froze. Shizuru was having far too much fun exploring my body with her hands to hear. I raised a hand to her shoulder and pushed gently. "Shizuru." My voice was deep and raspy.

She shivered and sat back on my legs, "Yes, my Natsuki?" Her voice had taken a husky tone and I had to force myself not to shudder at the sensations that ran through my body.

"Um, we gotta stop. There are people outside." Now that the heady feelings Shizuru had drawn from me were fading, I was slowly panicking at the thought of being caught in such a compromising position.

She pouted, "Ikezu. Natsuki should be willing to finish what she started." Nevertheless, she slowly climbed off me, offering me a great view of the tops of her ample breasts and giving my neck one last sensual caress with her lips.

_Yes, those are very nice, but I am not touching yet._ I thought rolling my eyes, using sarcasm to shield against the rising heat coursing through my body. I could look though, right? Somehow Shizuru's shirt had been bunched up and she was currently moving it back into place, shifting and sliding the fabric over her toned stomach. I hungrily watched her every move.

Shizuru suddenly froze and captured my gaze with her dark burgundies. "Natsuki stop. If you keep looking at me like that I am afraid that we will not be leaving this room until I do something about it." Her thick honey tones held sharp command and need.

I blinked, "Sorry."

Tearing my eyes away from hers, I noticed that Shizuru had a little more leg showing than usual. "Um, Shizuru? Is it me or were you wearing a mini skirt?" I asked pointing at the hitched up skirt.

She looked down at the skirt. Her eyes snapped to my face and she shot me a smug smile. "Natsuki is such a perv. She was so enthusiastic in exploring unknown territory that she nearly ripped it."

"Yeah, right! It had ridden up when you sat on me! I was merely claiming unearthed treasures." I shot back, mimicking her mischievous tone the best I could.

Shizuru shook her head and burst out into her silvery laughter. I laughed along with her, enjoying the moment.

Our laughter died away and Shizuru sighed, having put herself in order and sauntered back to my desk. "No one would have come in. We are in the Student Council's office." She gestured to the desk at front center of the room. Sure enough, Shizuru's school things were strewn on the top of the desk, her laptop open. Shizuru had told me once that regular students rarely come into the office for anything and she had ordered that no students except council members are allowed in here unless on official business. She would come here to get away from her fans.

I leaned back on my arms and looked up at her, "We've got to talk about this," Referring to our odd relationship. It was intense and I had trouble keeping up with what Shizuru wanted of me. I knew that we had a deep bond of friendship but incidents like this one, while pleasant, were highly confusing. These little bursts of passion were getting more and more frequent and they were getting more intense with each encounter. She was already messing with my limited ability to separate my feelings from my job. Not a good thing.

"Yes." I sat up at the sadness in her voice. She grasped my right hand, slid my sleeve above my elbow and traced the healing skin around my scar. "You have become my most precious person in such a short time. I do not wish to see you hurt on my account." She paused, searching for more words. Her eyes were filled with regret.

"Don't look like that. I got this protecting you and I would do it again." I slid off the desk and gently pulled her into a hug. "When you want to talk, I'll be there. But we have to do it soon cause you are driving me insane." Then I tenderly kissed her not really wanting to leave.

"Ara, Natsuki is such the romantic. I understand." Shizuru sighed as she released me to turn to her desk. "Go on, it would only serve to cause trouble if you leave with me. Especially with that love mark on your neck." A touch of her usual humor seeped into her voice.

My hand flew to my neck, "Shizuru! The Hell?"

"Just making sure everyone knows you belong to someone." She responded lightly. I couldn't tell if she was joking or not. Stomping over to the window, I threw it open so I could climb out.

"How many times do I have to remind Natsuki to not dress so provocatively. Perhaps it is the reason for her current predicament?" Shizuru said idly eyeing me up and down, her burgundy eyes sparking fire in the sun.

_Why do I feel like she wants to eat me? _"I am a girl, Shizuru. I like to wear girl clothes. Having to look like a boy is hard, even though I am not girly." My tone was rough, covering the sudden vulnerability I felt under her heated glance. She was the only person, other than my Aunt Koika who was an FBI profiler, to make me feel like I had been stripped bare. Aunt Ko helped me with my temper when I was younger, but Shizuru was a whole different matter. I both loathed the feeling and found it exhilarating at the same time. In short, she scared the shit out of me sometimes.

Shizuru prowled closer, stopping a foot away and purred, "I am very much aware that you are a girl. I-"

We both jumped- I had hopped on the window sill in an attempt to try to stay out of Shizuru's range- at the sharp rapping from the opposite side of the room. Saved by the bell. Shizuru turned sharply, a look of annoyance flashing on her face before she schooled her expression into her typical warm half smile. It was time for me to go.

"I'll see you later?" I blushed at the hope in my voice. Without waiting for a response, I hopped out the window. Blowing past her bodyguards stationed outside, I sprinted towards the small forested area just outside campus.

Puffing out short breaths, I slowed to a walk just before reaching the gate that marked the entrance of the school. My heeled sandals clicked on the sidewalk. The sun was high and bright, and I regretted leaving my sunglasses in the council room. Shizuru's words rang through my head.

"Most precious person, huh?" I mused, ignoring the flow of students around me. Shizuru was still a mystery. Why me? The woman had her share of admirers and no doubt had many offers of marriage from high class suitors. I was loud, brash and childish. Not to mention with my short fuse, I could be set off in at the slightest provocation. Blunt to the point of being obnoxious, I was the total opposite of Shizuru and her polite ways.

We looked like opposites, too. With her honey brown hair, golden skin and bright red eyes, she was the embodiment of summer. When she smiled her real smile, she made a room brighter. People were drawn to her warmth and sincerity that she could not completely hide under her constant mask. Her strong facial features aren't what are traditionally considered beautiful by Japanese standards but they gave her a regal elegance that demanded attention. Her mannerisms and that voice of hers added to the royal mystique. With that mask off, she shattered the image of a mild mannered soft spoken Japanese princess. She was an incorrigible flirt, had a wicked sense of humor and was one of the kindest people I had ever met.

With my dark hair, pale skin and dark eyes, I was winter incarnate. My Aunt Koika had admitted that when she saw me for the first time, she thought her brother had brought her a little snow maiden from Japanese legend.

Because I didn't like to be touched I was stoic and standoffish while in high school. Funny enough the kids in my school gave me a similar name as the college students: Ice Princess. The title was sort of a back handed complement. I was considered to be the most beautiful girl in the school, but because of my shyness and serious nature they thought that I was too stuck up and vain to be amongst commoners. Their words, not mine. The boys though it would be hilarious to see who could ask me out without being frozen scared by my icy glare. The girls admired and envied my looks but never really wanted to get closer to me. Not that I wanted them to anyways. I was a brooding kid and was only attached to my Aunts Koika and Morgan, and Morgan's family.

If I was honest with myself, I was ready to jump into whatever Shizuru had asked of me. But, because of my injury and my nice little… chat with Shizuru's dad; I really had to start thinking and not reacting. I wasn't too bothered with what he had said, in a roundabout way, about my being a lowly bodyguard and not to look above my station for romance. I almost laughed out loud at that. The Kugas were one of the oldest families in Akita Prefecture, and despite our recent poverty, we were well respected. My mother for instance had come from a long line of doctors and teachers; she was considered one of the top minds in the industry.

Money wasn't an issue either. With her death I inherited a small fortune even if I rarely touched it. My father-the bastard- being one of the top people in the Dulcati Company raked in a considerable salary for himself.

Thinking sucked. How in the world do Shizuru and I get along so well? My head spun as I thought of reasons why. Do we need a why? It was a vicious circle.

I paused at my bike, surprised that my feet carried me all the way through the small forest without my noticing. Keys rattled in my pocket, my mind still on Shizuru. Anh had listed reasons for Shizuru's initial attraction, but I still couldn't wrap my head around why she trusted me so easily. Yanking my riding suit out of its compartment, I headed towards a tree with a thick trunk.

Before I undressed, I paused to listen and watch. Relaxing, all I could hear was the buzzing of insects and the wind rustling through the thicket. Unsnapping my sandals and stepping out of them I began to pull up the skintight leather under my short skirt. Once that was completed, I gently took off my light long sleeved shirt, careful of the still sensitive skin on my ribs and arm. I loved this shirt because of its belled sleeves and the corset laces in the back. It was tight along my chest and stomach but was long, emphasizing my lean lines. The swooping neck line exposed my shoulders and upper chest but wasn't too racy. The sleeves were tight on the upper arm but loosened at the elbow.

A branch cracked and I froze. I shivered slightly as a breeze brushed across my exposed torso. Another snap, and this time I spun to my right, eyes frantically searching the thick brush. I raised one of my knives I had pulled from my arm sheath. Again, crackling leaves, this time I saw a shape. Whoever they were didn't see me yet but they were heading straight at me. Deciding that I wanted to get the drop on them, I tossed my knife at the tree the shape was leaning on.

A sharp _thunk_ sounded against the relative quiet of the grove, followed by a yelp and a body crashing to the ground.

"What the fu-", the young man who had stumbled into my patch of forest, stared at the embedded knife spoke loudly.

I crossed my arms under my chest and I demanded, "Who the hell are you?"

He sat up and faced me, slowly taking in the sight of me half dressed in my riding suit. "I think I'm in heaven. Are you an angel?"

Snorting, then realizing that his eyes never made it to my face, I covered myself as best I could and shrieked, "Turn around you effing pervert!"

"I-I'm sorry! Yes ma'am!" He stuttered out and whipped around. His back ridged.

As fast as I could, I yanked the material over my arms. The skin on my arm stretched uncomfortably as I pushed it through the sleeve of the suit. Finally, zipping it closed, but still leaving the top unzipped I stated sharply "Okay, you're safe to look, you moron."

Slowly he got up and brushed himself off and turned to face me. He was quite tall, coming in at a solid six feet and was rather built. His muscles stretched the fabric of his tee shirt as he brought his hand up to run it through his spiky black hair. Irritation swelled up as I realized that his green eyes were still roaming.

"Who. Are. You. You Neanderthal." I growled.

"Oh. Um. Takeda Masashi, I am the captain of the kendo club." He finally raised his eyes to my face. "And you are the famous Kuga Natsuki, right?"

"Yes. And thanks to you, I am going to have to find another place to change! Why the hell are you out here?"

"I like to go hiking, and this is the closest thing to a forest near campus. So, I come and wander a bit. I never expected to have a beautiful woman throw a knife at me." He broke into a sheepish smile.

I scoffed at his attempt to apologize and turned on my heel so I could get back to my bike. "Whatever."

A big hand wrapped around my wrist. "Hey, wait a minute! You don't have to be like that. I was just trying to say I was sorry. "

Did I mention I do not like being touched? I stopped, spun around and pulled him in close. He smelled like one of those AXE body sprays that had been imported from the States.

"Listen, I don't like being touched by people I don't consider friends. Last time I checked, you and I are not friends, Takeda. Now let go of me before I show you that I can do more than just throw knives." I breathed into his ear.

"O-Okay, Kuga-san." He let go and backed away, his arms held up in surrender. I warily watched him as I went over to my tree to gather my clothes. Even though he was smiling disarmingly, I could read the desire in his eyes. Maybe I should have kicked him where the sun don't shine and be done with it. This Takeda Masashi could be a problem.

I decided to leave the knife in the tree because it would be hard to watch him while I wrestled it out. Picking up my things, I barked out, "Don't follow me!" before bolting into the darkness of the trees.

* * *

Wearily, I flopped face down on my bed, feeling the AC kick in. Today's debriefing at ARTEMIS was particularly draining. Takeda had made me late for the meeting, and Reito reamed me a good one. Nao and Chie teased me mercilessly once they learned my reason for being so tardy. I left my bike suit on so I could pull the collar up over my hickey. If the two pranksters found out about that, I would never hear the end of it. Poor Aoi had been tasked with finding connections between Tomoe and the people with the gems in their ears. So far she had run into dead ends.

Really, it wasn't our place to investigate, since we were a security firm. However, the police in Fuuka City knew how important it was to keep Shizuru out of harm's way. If they didn't catch Tomoe and her little gang soon, they'll probably get a phone call from Papa or Mama Fujino. So they had essentially 'hired' us as consultants to help deal with stalker cases. As such we could do some minor investigation, but anything that needed a warrant or paper work of any kind we had to ask the police so they could ask the judge. Fuuka Academy still hasn't returned our calls and we don't have enough to get a warrant or subpoena. It was disheartening really, how long could we protect our client against an unknown, unpredictable psycho bitch?

Heaving a groan, I pushed my body off the comfy bed and shuffled towards my tiny kitchen. Even though it only had a two- burner stove and a small half sized refrigerator, I was content with it. After pulling out a small carton of milk, I began to pace around the small apartment thinking on my favorite subject of the past couple months: Shizuru Fujino. So absorbed in my thoughts, I almost couldn't hear the cell phone ringing from its perch on my bed.

"Crap" I rummaged around the sheets, hoping that I got to it before it was hung up. It might be Shizuru. After finally finding it, I noticed that the caller ID held a familiar phone number from the States. Falling on the bed and letting out a hissing breath, I hit the receive button.

"Lo'." I greeted in English.

"_Hi, Darlin'! Y'all haven't called so I decided to give you a buzz!" _My Aunt chirped through the phone with her cheerful and sunny southern drawl . I sat up.

"Hi Miss Mo!" Morgan is my Aunt Koika's- my father's sister- lover and most recently wife. She and I met just a couple months after I moved to the States following my mother's accident. Apparently they met at a little café near their respective offices. Morgan was hard for me to say so she insisted on Mo. Koika of course wanted to keep me up on my manners so she was known as Misu Mo until I lost my accent. "How's DC doing?"

"_Well. Ko is finally doing desk work at the Bureau. I always hated it when she would interview suspects; they were creepy mofo's. And I've got that new training position that I've been eyein'."_

"That's great Mo. I'm glad you two finally get to have more time to yourselves." A quick thought raced through my head. "Oh, that's right, how's my new cousin?"

Mo chuckled, _"Natalie is doing well. She's a little bundle of energy and Ko's teaching her Japanese. Bo and Sue are really proud."_ She sighed and continued. _"We miss you, little_ _Nats."_

I missed them, too. But it was good that I came back to Japan. "Miss Mo, I miss you guys, too. But I am having a great time and have made lots of friends here."

"_Hmm. Friends, huh? Did you meet a girl?_" Her tone held a playful suggestion.

_Yes. _"Ahh No. Jeez." I pretended to be upset. Mo and Koika were always on me to be more proactive in finding myself a mate. It was their way of getting me to be more social. Aunt Koika and Morgan were relentless in getting me to open up to others. Uncle Bo, who is Morgan's brother, and Aunt Sue, gave me their support as well; allowing me into their home and giving out loads of love. Without them I probably would still be a mess over mom's death.

She scoffed, _"Darlin' you're too beautiful to not have people chasin' after ya. Male and female both. I bet you make all the girls swoon at your feet, what with that voice and_ _all. Do the guys drool over you like they did at the Bureau? Poor fools didn't realize you were on team L through and through."_ She laughed. _"So tell me who is she?"_

Crap. I was never good at lying and Morgan's like a human lie detector. It was always better to tell the truth sooner rather than later. "Okay. I'll tell you, but we haven't even gone out yet. Her name's Shizuru Fujino. Currently, I'm her bodyguard." I said flatly, hoping that Mo's inner little girl wouldn't come out.

A high pitched squeal came through my speaker. No such luck. _"Oh Lordy, Nats! That's so romantic! The secret love between the lone wolf and her charge; will it last? You just have to tell me what she looks like."_

"You near a computer?"

"_Huh-uh." _

"Do an image search." I spelled out Shijuru's name and waited while she pulled up the pictures.

"_Holy sweet Mother of Jesus, this girl is gorgeous! Is she even Japanese? Are those eyes red?_ _She looks like a princess."_ Her questions came at a rapid fire pace. Morgan almost never used language like that; a habit left over from her Southern Baptist origins. She was really easy to get excited.

"Yeah, and in public, she acts like one. She's from an old family in Kyoto. Right now she's being stalked and needs a specialist, so they called ARTEMIS. You think my voice is sexy, Mo, but hers is hypnotic." I couldn't keep the wistful tone out of my voice.

"_Oh dear. You've got it bad, baby."_ I could hear some clicking and guessed she was still perusing through the pictures. _"Oh, who is the pretty man next to her? Looks like you've got some competition."_

I chuckled, "Does he have blue black hair, pale skin, and a collar around his throat?"

She was silent, and then said. _"Yeah. He's a sharp dresser too_."

"That's me."

"_It's oka- wait. What!" _

I burst out laughing at her startled yelp. "Long story short, I am dressing up as a man to guard Shizuru from her stalkers and to help keep her fans at bay. She didn't know herself until about a month ago. We are great friends and maybe a little more."

"_Let me guess, she met you as a girl and you flirted with her. She and you were friends when she only knew you as a man, then she found out who you really were and now she's all over you_ _like bees to honey?"_ Mo wasn't one of the top agents at the CIA for nothing.

My face was red; I remembered that particular encounter clearly. "Hey! She started it! I was just trying to stop her from teasing me!"

She laughed. _"Okay, Okay! You probably didn't know that you were flirtin' till someone else told you about it. That's one of the most charming things about you. You are making sure to stay focused on the job while you're working, right? I don't want you to get in trouble for not following orders like what happened at the FBI."_

"I am but it's getting harder for me to control my temper when it comes to her." I hesitated, thinking that I should tell her about the beach. Looking back on it, I was totally out of line. "I beat a guy's head against a picnic table while at the beach, simply because he upset her. Then I almost broke his knee after scaring him half to death because he and his gang were going to mug her. We had only known each other for just over a month."

Even though it made me look worse, I didn't want to tell her about the men's attempted rape. Kioka and Morgan would board the next flight over here to help me out if they thought I needed it. That's why I love them so much.

Morgan sucked in a breath, _"Natsuki that is unusual even for you. You usually are calm and collected while on the job. She must be really special to you if you are willing to go off the deep end_."

"She is." I stopped myself before I sounded like a sap.

She chuckled, _"My Natsuki, all grown up."_ She cut off my whining with her serious tone, "_I'm going_ _to have Koika call you so you can talk. You need to curb that protective instinct you have_."

I sighed, slightly deflated, "Yeah, Aunt Ko said that it is too closely connected to my anger."

An affirmative grunt came through the phone, _"Well, I gotta catch the train. There are new recruits in today. I love you, little Nats_."

"Bye Miss Mo. Love you, too. Tell everyone else I love' em."

"_Will do. Remember don't be a stranger!" _ I let out a bark of laugher as I hung up the phone. Morgan was always good for the soul. It was nice to remember I had family who cared about me. Ten years ago, I thought no one wanted me after my mother's death.

My hand found its way to the wolf locket that I had gotten when I first started this job. I thought it was a plain amulet but while I was recovering from my wounds, I noticed that it slid open. Opening it now, I gazed at the picture that I had painstakingly attached to it. It was of a woman dressed up in a summer kimono, happily smiling at the camera. She was standing amidst a busy street, crowded with vendors and festival goers. The woman was breathtakingly beautiful with her midnight blue hair glimmering silver in the sun. She was delicate and short, and her kimono emphasized her snow white skin. Sapphire eyes sparkled with laughter from her smiling face. If not for the life in her eyes she would have looked like a perfect doll.

This was one of the few pictures that I had of my mother. It was one of two that captured her smiling so brilliantly. The other was on the top of my dresser at my aunts' home; it was of the two of us playing at the park with my father. I treasured that picture so much that I refused to bring it back with me to Japan because I was afraid I'd damage it on the way here. The picture in my locket was small enough to carry in my wallet so I carried it everywhere with me.

I adored my mother, and I was nearly destroyed when she died. She was so strong and kind and she always found time for me even though she was so busy at work. My father was only around when it was convenient for him and mom would cry when he was gone. When I asked her why she was crying over dad she would always say, "Little princess, I'm crying because he is missing out on such a wonderful daughter and that makes me sad." Always, I would hug her as best I could and tell her that I would always make her smile.

I was glad that I had inherited my mother's looks. When I looked in the mirror, I could see some of her in my face. With the exception of my green eyes, those I got from my father, and my height, she and I were identical.

"Momma, I'll have to come visit you soon. I bet you're going to need some new flowers, right?" I whispered, carefully sliding the locket close with a click.

* * *

Today was an excellent day to visit my mother, the sky was a periwinkle blue and the sun was shining warmly down on Fuuka City. I skipped school and told Chie and Nao to keep an eye on Shizuru for me roared out of the city on my Silver Ducati heading for the cemetery in the suburb of Sakuraicho, named for its groves of Sakura trees.

I cut the engine outside the cemetery, near the flower stand that was stationed next to the gate. Waving at the vendor, I pulled my helmet off my head. Normally, families would visit the graves of their ancestors during Obon breaks in August. However I hadn't been able to come because of work.

My mother's name was etched in two places, she was on the plot in Akita and here, the place she died. My father had commissioned the grave stone, per my mother's last request. The Kuga's would be taking care of the familial marker in Akita; however I doubt that anyone has come to visit since my mom's Buddhist service. This would be the first time I had visited the stone since she died.

Purchasing the best looking flowers the vendor had, I slowly walked up the path towards my mother's grave. My feet knew the way even though they'd traveled this way once, over ten years ago. Mom's resting place was as easy to spot as she was in life.. Her gravestone was a lonely obelisk, overlooking the very sea that claimed her life. Tears came to my eyes as I noticed that the stone was well maintained and someone had recently burned incense on it. I stopped a few feet away, not sure what to do.

"Are you looking for someone, dear?" A craggily voice asked kindly from the path behind me.

I turned to find an elderly lady in a typical dress and apron, a kerchief tying her hair back. She was carrying a water bucket and ladle.

"No, ma'am. I've found her, I just don't know where to start." I said bashfully, because of my inexperience.

"Ah, I know you! You are little Kuga-sama's daughter!" The woman exclaimed gently dropping her bucket to the ground.

"Yes. This is my first time back to see her and I am afraid I don't know much about how to be respectful."

"Don't worry about it, young lady. Your mother was kind enough to help this old lady with her arthritis. She was so sweet and patient, I always was asking her to quit her job at her company and start up a practice here." The old woman said.

My curiosity was piqued; I had never really gotten to know my mother since I lost her so young. "Why didn't she quit? She seemed like she would be great with people."

"Oh, she was dearie. She always told me that she had to stay on because she had a little angel to take care of. "

I was shocked and I turned my head to hide the sudden tears. Starting at the light touch of the woman's hand on my arm, I stepped to the side.

"I'm sorry. I appreciate the gesture, I just don't like to be touched is all."

The older woman nodded sagely and turned to her bucket. She scooped up some water with the ladle and threw it on the obelisk. Dropping the ladle back into the water with a soft plunk, she gestured for me to come forward. "You can put the flowers here and here." She pointed out small vases that had been carved into the base of the gravestone.

I separated my bundle into two handfuls and carefully placed each on either side of the grave. "Great job, angel. Now step back and put your hands together." She watched me follow her instructions and said, "Now usually you speak out loud what you want to say, but since I'm here, you can close your eyes and speak to your mother that way."

I nodded and closed my eyes. _Momma, I miss you so much. I wish you were here to watch over me. I am a bodyguard now and my newest charge is a handful. We've become best friends. Can you believe it? She would like you, and you the same. I can come visit you more often, since I'm back. Maybe I'll bring her here sometime. I love you mom. _With that thought, I stepped back to the stone and ran my fingers along the characters etched in the dark garnet.

"Kuga Saeko." I murmured, pressing the palm of my hand over elegant characters that made up my mother's name.

With my palm still on the stone, I turned back to the old woman, "Thank you grandmother. Are you the one who has been taking care of my mother's grave?"

The woman nodded sadly, "Yes. Her husband ordered the stone to be made but he never came back. You are the first family member that has visited her since the funeral."

I sighed not really surprised that no one but this little old lady has kept her company all these years, "I feel like a jerk, but I just didn't want to come because it felt too final."

"I understand. Quite frankly, I thought for a second I had seen a ghost because you and Kuga-sama are mirror images of each other."

"Yes. For that I am grateful." I paused, glanced back at the stone. "Could you read me the inscription, grandmother? I memorized my mother's name, however most kanji is still far out of my range. The calligraphy is beautiful but I can't read it at all."

The woman laughed. "Young lady, these old eyes have trouble seeing anything these days. I am sorry, but the script is too hard for me to make out."

"Perhaps I could help with that?" Hypnotic Kyoto-ben washed over the two of us. I looked over the woman's head to find Shizuru standing a respectful distance away.

"Shizuru! What are you doing here?"

She smiled warmly and said, "Natsuki didn't show up for class today and I was worried for her. I asked Chie-san where I could find her."

I turned to the old woman to hide my rising blush, "Grandmother, this is Fujino Shizuru. She's one of my close friends. Shizuru, this grandmother has been looking after my mom." I looked back up to find Shizuru gliding over to us.

"Ara! Just a friend, Natsuki?" She teased, waggling her eyebrows at me from under her bangs.

The old woman laughed, "Oh. I like you Fujino ojou-sama. You have a mean sense of humor. Please call me Shiori. You girls are making me feel old."

Shizuru chuckled at my reddened cheeks and said, "Nice to meet you, Shiori-san. Then you must call me Shizuru, for I am no princess."

"Could've fooled this old lady, Shizuru-sama. I haven't seen anyone walk the way you do in a while. Your Kyoto-ben is elegant and beautiful, something else I haven't witnessed in a long time."

I swear I saw a hint of pink on her cheeks, but Shizuru recovered and smiled down at the old lady. "Well, now that I have been thoroughly put in my place, shall I help Natsuki read her mother's words?" She punctuated her question with a light hearted bow to Shiori.

I shook my head, Shizuru always managed to get the upper hand. Shizuru dropped her mask for this little old lady and was laughing with her at her joke. Taking a glance past her I saw two men in black business suits standing at the intersection of paths.

I huffed, so much for getting privacy, "Shizuru, you brought your guards?"

"Yes, they insisted they come with me, since I had to skip classes to find you." Her response was a little sad, "I am sorry."

I waved it away, "They're annoying that's all."

"Well, this old lady has to go back to cook for her husband." Shiori piped in, "I am glad I finally got to meet you, Natsuki-chan."

"Thank you again, Shiori." I surprised her with a hug and she gave me a light pat on my back.

"I thought you didn't like being touched."

I smiled and stated truthfully, "Oh, I just don't like it when people I don't like or know touch me. Friends and family are okay."

As if to prove my point, Shizuru practically tackled me into a bone crushing hug. "Shizuru! We're at a freaking cemetery! Chill out!"

"Ikezu, Natsuki! I haven't had a hug yet today!" She pouted then squeezed harder happily nuzzling her face into my neck.

"Oh, so much energy you have, Shizuru-sama." Old lady Shiori waved at us before picking up her bucket and walked briskly back down the path.

"Look you scared her away!"

"She was taking up all my Natsuki time so I had to do something drastic!" Came the whining response.

My free hand came up and lightly tapped the top of her head. "You're an idiot." I said affectionately. "C'mon I wanna read the inscription!"

"Okay, let me take a look then." Shizuru placed her hand on the black garnet and ran her red eyes over the words. "It's a haiku I believe. It's rather simple and a little different from most I've read."

She shot me a glance, "Are you ready?" she asked solemnly.

I nodded and closed my eyes. Shizuru's hand clasped mine and she began reading in her lyrical voice.

_Black Sky, wind blows rain_

_Thunder crashes! Light shines through-_

_Sun brings summer hope!_

She gasped and I opened my eyes, staring at the garnet. A memory tugged at my mind but I couldn't grasp it.

"This is such an unusual way to write hope. Normally, if it's a noun, the 'Ki' is written with 'Bou' not by itself." She paused and traced the last two characters muttering under her breath. Then she turned to me, tears in her eyes. "Oh my god, Natsuki! These last two characters can be a way to write your name."

Suddenly, I remembered. I had asked mom to help me with my first haiku for school. I was never able to understand the rules. I finished it, with mom's help, with a play on my own name. Mom had chosen to write it in hiragana. When I asked her why I couldn't be summer's Hope, she said "Natsuki is Natsuki and that is good enough for me."

"She kept it. Shizuru, I wrote this when I was in grade school. How did it end up here?" Tears fell, cooling my cheeks.

Shaking her head she tugged me into a soft embrace, holding me as I sobbed quietly. I anchored myself to the soft cadences of her voice as she whispered softly in my ear.

Finally, drying my eyes I pulled away. "Thank you. I really needed that. Can you believe this is the first time I've been able to properly cry over my mother?"

Shizuru fished around her purse and brought out a handkerchief. Gently, she dried my face as she spoke; "Now I know where you get your sweetness from, dear Natsuki. Your mother must really have been something."

I laughed, "She was and I miss her so much." I pulled out the wolf locket from under my shirt. "You wanna see her?"

"Oh, yes please." I let her take the locket, and tugging it and me closer, she slid it open. "She is beautiful. Like a snow fairy." She breathed, not realizing how close we were.

I nodded reveling in Shizuru's calm strength. She played with the amulet lost in thought, then snapping it shut, she placed it on my chest near my heart, her hand softly pinning it to my skin.

"I know that your mother is dear to you, but please do not feel sad over not being able to see her anymore. She is always here, in your heart." Her bright ruby eyes held my gaze. "Now I am beginning to understand why you have such a quick temper. Natsuki, do not be so hasty in letting your grief overwhelm you." Her forehead pressed into mine.

I sighed. How can this person read me so well? "I try, but it is so hard. When I was younger, I thought the world had abandoned me because my mother died in the crash and my father refused to take me in. I guess I am not great at living up to my name, huh?"

Shizuru petted the top of my head and smiled gently. "Oh, you put too much pressure on yourself. Besides, I say you've done a wonderful job giving me hope. And coincidently, you came to me at the beginning of summer."

I laughed and backed up a little. "Would you like to take a walk? The cherry blossoms aren't in bloom but the groves are still wonderfully relaxing."

Shizuru sighed, "Sure but I have to work on my homework today. I don't think that I am going to get much of it done since I have to go to Kyoto soon." Without waiting to see my reaction, she marched up to her guards and quietly ordered them home.

I followed her slowly, giving her enough time to convince them to leave her alone. Wondering why she would have to go to Kyoto, I watched as she quelled her poor guards' arguments with her charming smile and a reassuring word. Truly it was amazing that she could make hardened men weak in the knees simply with her smile.

The two men shot me looks that I couldn't decipher then turned as one and walked towards the entrance of the cemetery. "What was that all about?"

"Oh, they just wanted to make sure that I checked in with them. Kaito-kun and Shinichiro-kun are my two favorite guards. Although they are a little stiff, they know their jobs and are very good at them. I call them the twins because they look so similar." Shizuru half giggled as she fell into step at my side.

I chuckled, leading us in the direction of the park. The day was still warm and people were enjoying the cooler air of late summer. Now that most of the humidity was gone, being outside was fun. Music wafted over us when we found the entrance of the park - it was aptly named Sakura Koen after the famous trees. Shizuru found a bulletin board and much to our surprise, the community was holding a moon viewing festival throughout the week.

"Guess I was lucky. Want to go check it out?" I asked somewhat eagerly. I haven't been to a festival since I was little.

Shizuru happily grasped my hand and we followed the throngs of people heading to the street vendors that were lining the park's main path. When we made it to the busy pedestrian street, I looked around in awe. Shizuru faced me, no doubt watching my face.

"Natsuki is asking me on another date?" Shizuru asked curiously, her head cocked to the side.

Shaking my head vigorously I responded with an emphatic "No,", and then explained further. "Just hanging out with my best friend."

Smiling brightly and grabbing my arm she grinned impishly, "Then Natsuki won't object to me holding onto her like this. I wouldn't want us to be separated in this crowd."

I shrugged, knowing better than to object. "Alrighty then, let's eat!"

We did just that, enjoying the fun foods that the vendors dished out. I tried my hand at some of the games, only winning at the little shooting game. Shizuru had tricked me into playing after a guy had tried to show off his supposed skills, winning a good sized stuffed animal for her. She politely refused then proclaimed that I could win the huge dog that was the top prize in one go. Course I had to prove her right and quickly shot down all of my targets, landing the dog. The shop owner thought I had cheated, and the poor guy was thoroughly embarrassed.

Soon, the sun slowly fell behind the mountains and the lights were thrown on. The ambiance was awesome and I had asked a person to take a picture of Shizuru, the dog and I under the gigantic paper lantern that I had found. The two of us, exhausted, trudged back to my motorcycle after getting one last snack of bunny shaped mochi.

"Zuru, how the hell am I gonna be able to get this monstrosity back to your place? It's almost as big as we are." I grumbled. After winning it, Shizuru had only carried it for about an hour, before giving up and I stupidly offered to carry it for her.

Giggling, Shizuru reached up and rustled my hair, "We'll find a way, Natsuki. I'd like to keep it, because it is the first thing that Natsuki has given me.

"Aw man! Really? This is gonna look ridiculous." I whined.

Dropping the dumb thing on the ground next to the bike, I unlocked the storage compartment and jerked out my helmet and the spare. Handing the spare to Shizuru, I reached back in and grabbed a length of rope.

Shizuru having figured out what I was planning straddled the bike and held out her hands for the dog.

I blushed and handed the stuffed animal to her. "I wish I could take a picture now." I muttered under my breath.

"Ara! Bad Natsuki, having such lewd thoughts about her friend!" Shizuru said playfully, squeezing the dog's neck.

I growled. That was downright mean. The woman was the worst tease and I knew she was far worse than I was in the 'lewd thought' department. I wrapped the rope around Shizuru and the dog a couple times, and then secured it around the seat.

Climbing on the machine, I twisted around. "How are you doing Zuru? It's a little crowded so make show you hold on to the handle bar behind you."

"I-I'm okay. Please drive slowly, Natsuki." Shizuru responded, slightly scared.

I nodded and shut my visor. Starting the engine and easing us out onto the road, I shifted my weight on the bike to compensate for Shizuru's weight on the very end of the passenger's seat.

The ride went smoothly, even though the pace was far below what I would have liked. Shizuru hopped off the bike as soon as she could and ran to her apartment, carrying the dog. After stowing all the gear, I walked up the stairs to her door.

Shizuru appeared in front of me just as I took off my sandals and was making my way to her living room. "I guess homework will have to wait. But I don't mind because I need to talk to you, Natsuki."

Good. Maybe I can ease her into asking her to stop the make out sessions. "Okay, where do you want to sit?"

"The couch is fine. Do you want some tea?" Oh boy she must be nervous because she was having tea at such a late hour.

I shook my head, "Nah, I'll have a glass of water."

She went to the kitchen to prepare our drinks and I walked to the now familiar couch. I was over here almost every day and we slept together whenever Shizuru had a particularly stressful day. It was odd, but no matter how much tension there was between us, when we slept together, we relaxed in each other's arms content with the simple contact.

I watched her as she brought her drink tray and set it down on the table. I was so mesmerized by the graceful movements of her hands that I hadn't realized that she began speaking softly.

"I have been thinking about our relationship over the past months." She said softly, bringing my attention to her eyes. "And no matter how much I wish for us to carry on developing this relationship, I know that doing so would cause you trouble doing your job."

"Are you dumping me?" I asked playfully, relieved that she had taken my request to heart.

She chuckled behind her cup of tea. "No, but I am aware that you are fiercely protective of those you care for. And for reasons I am beginning to understand, you are more so with me. I do not want you to get into trouble on my account."

Leaning back into the cushions, I replied "Not that I am blaming you, but I have trouble being objective while working. I have a history of this, as you know, and I don't want to mess this up for you. I don't really understand why I lose my temper more easily over you. All I can think of is that you have become my best friend and having you as a friend is a great honor and a privilege. I don't want to lose you because I did something stupid."

Shizuru looked away, a slight blush spreading across her cheeks, "Ikezu, Natsuki. You make it hard for a girl to control herself around you. Mai was right, your tomboyish attitude and feminine looks are a deadly combination. Combine that with your sweet nature and you, my friend, are the definition of a lady killer."

Okay, now I was confused. I simply told the truth. How is that flattering? Shizuru saw the question written across my face and burst out laughing. Standing up and walking over to seat herself at my side, she put an arm around my shoulders.

"I have two words for you: Takarazuka Revenue. Look it up when you can."

"Kay." Somewhat distracted by her closeness, I blurted out "Why are you heading to Kyoto, Zuru?"

Red eyes hid behind long eyelashes when she pulled away and looked down. "Father won the election and he may be holding an event for his victory soon. I wanted to ask you to come with me as my friend, Natsuki. He may not let Misaki come to Kyoto."

I stood up and stretched, "You know, that would be awesome! I have never been to Kyoto. You could be my tour guide and take me to all the places you like. Maybe we can even see the fall foliage."

"Ara, you sure are enthusiastic about the idea." She stood up with far more grace than I did. "Well, now I can face my family with my best friend at my side."

I turned to face her, grabbing both of her hands in mine. "And I'll always be there for you. You're kinda stuck with me now, Princess."

"I guess flirting is still allowed, then?" She asked, leaning in and placing a soft kiss at the corner of my mouth.

"Yeah, we gotta work on that, huh?" Was my embarrassed reply.

Shizuru giggled and shot a playful "Kannin na." over her shoulder as she strutted to her bedroom.

"That girl is gonna be the death of me." I muttered before following her.

* * *

**AN: Hey guys! Another long one, huh? I agonized over the cemetery scene because I wanted to give reasons behind Natsuki's actions. Hopefully, this gives Natsuki a little more soul.**

**As always thanks again for all your reviews and for putting me on your 'favorites' lists- that's right I know you, you awesome people you! We're getting close to a hundred reviews! Woohoo!**

**The characters that I used for Natsuki's kanji name are ****夏****-****natsu- for summer and****希****-ki- from ****希望 ****kibou, the noun****form of hope. So they form: ****夏希 ****pretty, right? **

**Oh! Don't worry there will be more ShizNat fun. It's just going to be toned down a bit for the next chapter or so. While our girls are in love, they aren't stupid in love. Our villains will make their appearances too. The others will have their limelight, too. **

**Constructive criticism is always welcome! **


	7. Wild Hunt

_AN: Hey guys! long time no see! My Beta and I have finally gotten through all of my previous chapters so I would suggest to all of the folks who have followed this story re-read them! There's alot of new stuff in them that help explain some of the events in the chapter. Thanks so much for your patience so far!_

* * *

_Wild Hunt_

"_Lil'Kitty to Silver Wolf, over."_ crackled in my ear, breaking the stillness of Shizuru's dressing room. I sighed and pressed the button in my ear. "Yes, Nao?" I answered the snarky red head.

Chie, Nao, Aoi and I have been staking out _The HiMe Star_ for the past three nights, trying to catch the person or people who were sneaking into Shizuru's room. They have been getting more creative in their placements and I seriously do not want Shizuru be sent pictures of herself changing. Tomoe was just twisted like that.

The first two nights had been busts and now the others were staving off the boredom by making up call signs. My team is so professional.

"_Honey thinks that Silver Wolf should be called Sergeant Grumpy Pants." _ Chie spoke up over the line.

"_I do not! Natsuki, Chie's just being stupid again." _ Aoi protested over the line. Well, jee whiz, what else is new?

Nao interrupted the impending argument. _"Well I was just wondering if SGP has gotten_ _anything from foxy lately."_

"_Cutie concurs, what's with SGP and the fox?"_ Chie asked. I have no idea why she had chosen Cutie and Honey for her and Aoi, but whatever it was I am sure it would totally mess with my delicate sensibilities.

I debated on letting them know about the agreement between us since they already figured out our little 'friends-with-kind-of–benefits' situation. Nao had found my hickey and pestered me until I broke down. She of course tattled on me to Chie and Aoi and they've been bugging me about it since.

Might as well bite the bullet. "Nothing." I said over the line, grumpy that it was the truth. Shizuru had been really good at restraining herself, and other than a few hugs and hand holdings, we've done nothing further since the Student Council room earlier in the month.

"_Ha! Someone's frustrated! I wonder how the fox would feel if she knew that her bodyguard wants to jump her bones?"_ Nao asked wickedly. That girl, if she wasn't like a sister to me then I probably would have murdered her by now.

"_Thing is I think that the fox is hornier than SGB. Not that I blame her, I don't think she's got any-"_

"Chie! Enough! Let's focus guys, I have a feeling that tonight is the night." I seriously didn't want to listen to my friends speculate about Shizuru's sex life.

"_You wish."_ Nao deadpanned. I growled at the empty air. Yeah I actually do wish, in both areas.

Our little timeout was becoming more difficult to uphold. It has only been about three weeks since our little agreement and so far I could count the number of times that I have had to stop myself from jumping Shizuru on both my hands. I am learning quickly that no Shizuru love makes for a very grumpy Natsuki.

I am not sure if that's a good or a bad thing.

"_Heads up guys. Suspicious dude heading towards home base. He's got a cleaner's uniform on but it doesn't have any company names or anything like that anywhere on it." _Nao's suddenly serious voice put our rather uncomfortable discussion on hold.

"_Aoi and I will follow him once he gets into our cameras' range. Don't get too close" _ Chie promptly responded

A couple minutes of silence enveloped me. My teammates were so good at working together that they worked cohesively without additional chatter. They'd let me know if the man was moving on or moving in.

Without fail, Chie and Nao spoke up simultaneously.

"_Boss, guy's in home base, he had a key."_

"_Yo Mutt, dude's inside but he got in too easy." _

Quickly I turned on the small handheld camera that I brought with me and trained it on the door. Even though we were hired as security consultants by Anh and the Fuuka City police, we had to be cautious when we did things like this. If we don't catch the intruder inside the _Star_, we darn well better have good reason to pursue him.

With the camera ready and placed in a discreet location, I found a patch of deep shadows in the corner of the dressing room between Shizuru's wardrobe and the wall.

I whispered out my next orders. "Nao, head to the side entrance. I need you to man the front doors, Chie. Aoi track him with the cameras and be ready if we need back up." I turned off the earpiece, knowing that they'd do as asked and waited.

Thirty seconds ticked by and the door handle jiggled. I controlled my breathing as the door was wrestled open. So, the man had a key for the front door, but not for the back? Looks like switching the lock only slowed him down.

The man shuffled around in the dark before clicking on the lights. With the room now bathed in light, he moved with the confidence of one who had been there before. I squished further into my corner as I heard him stride over to the wardrobe and throw it open. He was going to plant something in Shizuru's clothes. Or at least that's what I thought, because he moved the clothes around until he found something he liked. With that, he removed the article of clothing and stuffed it in a plastic bag. It rustled as he made his way back to the entrance of the room. It was time to make my move.

I leaped out of my corner and shouted "Freeze, moron!" while training my Taser on him. The dark haired man jumped and whirled around to stare at me. When he realized that I was inching closer to him, he bolted.

I sighed and switch my earpiece back on. They never listen. "Guys he's running." I spoke over our line as I sprinted after him.

I noticed that he was running towards the side entrance and smirked; Nao's going to have fun with this. "Heading towards Nao." I updated them as we flew down the hall.

Cursing as the man shoved the door closed in my face, I skidded to a halt right before I hit it. From the rattling sounds and the fact that the damn thing wouldn't open right, I guessed that the guy had barred it shut. I slammed my shoulder into the door trying to dislodge the obstruction. I could hear Nao shouting at the guy that was cut off by her muffled grunt.

"Nao, you good?" I asked

"_Yeah. Dude just threw something really nasty at me." _

"Don't worry about me, just go get the bastard." I turned around so I could give the door a solid back kick. It buckled and I heard something crack. One more kick broke whatever was holding the door close and messed up its frame.

Nao's quick footsteps trailed off as I burst through. Cool air of the autumn night slapped my face and the distinct smell of alley assaulted my nose.

"Aoi- I lost Nao and the perp. Do you know where they went?"

"_I lost them on the cameras but I hacked into Nao's GPS on her phone. She is moving south on street A. Chie is paralleling them on Street H."_ Aoi responded calmly, reciting the names that we had given the streets in our pre-op meeting. Japanese streets are usually not named unless it is important.

I grinned. I knew that those two streets would merge in a couple of blocks. Chie and Nao were trying for a pincer move. "Ok, Nao, Chie keep me posted on any sudden changes. Aoi can't track you fast enough."

"_Roger,"_ both voices huffed in my ear.

They were ahead of me by about a block, but lucky for me, I knew a short cut.

With a running leap, I grabbed the bottom rung of the fire escape and hauled my body up to the building next to _The Hime Star_. I sprinted across the buildings, trailing my teammates and the intruder. I had almost caught up to them when Nao's frustrated voice snapped through my speaker.

"_Damn it! He's cut through Street C. He's probably gonna backtrack on Street G!" _

I looked down at the small back alley street that radiated from the six floor building that I was currently on. Sure enough the man had rounded the corner and was headed straight for me. Fatigue was setting in; he had slowed down and was leaning against the concrete wall for support. That gave me enough time to get off this building and find a decent hiding spot.

I shimmied down a pipe and skirted the shadows so I was pressed against the wall around the corner from where my prey would be coming. With any luck I could get the drop on him without him even knowing.

With his panting breaths coming ever closer, I counted down from ten. I saw his elongated shadow cast by a flickering neon light.

_Wait for it. _I told myself tensing.

_Now!_ Pouncing on the poor man, I shot my leg out in a quick kick to his groin. He went down in a heap, gasping for breath.

I stood over him and crossed my arms, "You should have just let me take you at the club."

"Bitch." He wheezed.

"Yeah, you would've saved your balls. Ya dumb fuck." I winced at Nao's abrasive tone as she and Chie rushed up to the scene.

She rolled him over and sat on him, and I could see she was wearing her favorite gauntlet. It was made of a lightweight material and extended past her fingers to form razor sharp claws. Currently those claws were playing with the soft part of the underside of the man's chin.

"Now, sweetie. You and I will be great friends. Right?" Nao cooed.

The man squeaked and attempted to squirm out from under her, but she pressed her claws into his neck hard enough to draw blood. He froze. "Aw. You don't want to play?" Nao pouted and began to unzip the man's uniform, revealing the man's street clothes.

Chie and I went about our business of searching through the plastic bag. Nao was righteously pissed at having to run so much and having whatever it was thrown at her. We knew to stay out of her way when she was like this.

Chie pulled out Shizuru's clothes and tossed them at me. My eyes grew wide. It was her 'Stereo Love' costume. It had been so popular that first night that she ended up dancing to it almost every night.

Chie turned to tell Aoi that we had caught the guy. I held up the clothes to Nao. She was idly trailing the poor guy's driver's license up and down his torso.

"Nao quit playing. Ask him why he took this costume." I ordered her.

"Kill joy." She whined, then pressed herself against him and whispered something in his ear. The clawed hand was dangerously close to his manhood.

"Alright! You crazy bitch! I was asked by Tomoe-sama to steal the clothes because she thought that Viola was too exposed when she danced to that song. She also thinks that Viola dances specifically for that bodyguard of hers!"

"How does Tomoe know about Viola's dance routines?" I interjected sharply.

Claws pressed against his tee shirt. "I-I put a camera on the stage so Tomoe-sama could see all of Viola's dances."

"That's much better. Have you been the one who's been placing all those little toys in Viola's room? Nao purred, inching her claws closer to his soft flesh.

"Y-Yes!" He squeaked out. "Are you going to let me go now?"

We all laughed. Chie recovered first though. "Sorry, pal. You were just caught trespassing and stealing from a very well-known nightclub. The owner is highly respected in this town and you happen to take things out of the room of the club's most popular employee. The police are going to love you."

Nao sensuously got off of him and allowed Chie to roughly pull him to his feet. She pushed him face first into the wall so she could tie a zip-strip around his wrists.

Knowing that they had things under control, I radioed Aoi to tell her to fire up the van so we could get him to the police station.

"Guys I'll meet you at the police station, I gotta get that camera and lock up the place again." I turned and jogged back to the club so we could be done with this night.

* * *

A couple days later, I was seated at my favorite table at the Café across the street from my apartment, working on my files for this case. Nao, Chie and Aoi should be here at any moment - we were planning our next moves to tag another proxy. Today was Shizuru's and my day off of school so I was making good use of it.

I glanced up from my laptop to allow my eyes a rest. I had just been staring holes through the monitor, hoping that something would just click in my head. The thrum of people in the busy seating area had gone quiet and I looked towards the door curiously.

There was Shizuru, dress immaculately in a pair of very, very tight jeans, a long gray cardigan and high heeled black boots. She was politely ignoring the once over that the employees behind the bar kept giving her as she waited for the barista to finish with her drink. It was probably that green tea latte that is all the rage now.

When she was handed her drink on its little tray, she turned gracefully and strutted over to my table. My eyes widened as I watched her approach. How'd she know that I was here?

_Woman's got radar._ I decided.

She paused at the open seat and sang out "Excuse me, is this seat taken?" in her teasing Kyoto accent.

"It is always open if you want it to be." I said with as much sweetness as I could muster, gesturing at it with my hand. I ignored the sighing sounds from around us. Does everything we do have to be watched?

She flashed me a bright smile as she slid gracefully in to the bench. "Why thank you. Natsuki is ever the gentleman."

I chose not to respond to that, since she thought it was hilarious that I acted that way around her sometimes. Instead I asked, "How the hell do you manage to move in those jeans?"

She blinked, "Don't swear, Natsuki. I manage well enough." Her red eyes twinkled mischievously as she grinned. "Ara, has Natsuki been checking me out? Doesn't that go against our little agreement?"

I looked down at my laptop, "Well, for one it doesn't say anything about not looking. Two, have you noticed that everyone looked? You freaking stopped traffic!" I grumbled, jabbing a little too roughly at my keys as I typed out a note. "Three, you're too damn beautiful not to look!"

"Ara." I looked up at the breathy utterance. Shizuru's eyes had gone soft and she was smiling from ear to ear. I blushed and looked away, realizing what I had just said. Damn it I always get tricked into saying stuff that I want to keep to myself when I'm around her.

"You're welcome," I muttered then asked, "What are you doing here, Shizuru? I was going to meet the terrible trio here but this is certainly a pleasant surprise."

Shizuru shot me a questioning look as she sipped her tea. "I thought you had invited me here."

An idea flashed through my brain. I put my finger to my lips, signaling Shizuru to be quiet, and then fished around the table caddy. Grinning I yanked a small microphone out of the sugars.

"You know eavesdropping can be very bad for your health ladies." Was the only warning I gave them before dropping it on the ground and crushing it. We both turned to look out the window at the muffled yelps coming from just under the window. Sure enough, my nosey teammates all popped up out of the bushes, gave the two of us sheepish waves and slunk off in defeat.

Shizuru's silvery laughter erupted from her side of the table and I turned to watch her, smiling all the way.

"You must tell me how you became friends with those three. The stories must be highly amusing." Shizuru said as her mirth died down.

They were in a way. Closing my laptop with a light tap, I took a sip of my iced coffee. "Sure, I'll tell you about Chie and Aoi first since theirs are the shortest. And I don't really know much about them since I haven't asked yet. All I know is that Chie is ex-military and Aoi is a hacker and computer whiz. They've been a couple well before I joined ARTEMIS."

I launched into the day when Chie and I worked on a client together for the first time and Chie had flirted with me for the duration of the job. One of those days, an overeager fan had coldcocked Chie in the head and she went to the hospital with a concussion. Aoi was informed and she rushed over. Meanwhile, I had gotten the client safely to the hotel and asked if I could check on my partner. I made it there before Aoi and Chie thought that I was her. She surprised me by trying to drag me in the bed with her. Aoi caught us in a rather uncompromising position. She was so enraged that she wouldn't talk to Chie and me for almost a full month. Reito had to give her the reports that we had written to convince her that it was all a mistake. She then made me a cake and scolded Chie for flirting with me instead of doing her job.

"My, they seem to not have changed at all." Shizuru remarked through her giggles.

I shrugged. "I've only known them for about six months or so. I've been back in Japan for just under a year. Chie and Aoi are kind of like crazy cousins, you can only take them in small doses."

Something cool brushed at my leg, under my tight cargos that flared at the bottom. I yelped and jerked my knee up, smacking it against the underside of the table.

"Ow!" I hissed, rubbing at my poor knee.

Shizuru winced, "Ara, such a strong reaction! I'm sorry!"

I rolled my eyes and looked under the table. Sure enough, one of Shizuru's boots was lying next to her crossed legs, her bared foot bouncing in the air. Looking up I shot her a glare. She returned it with an innocent smile and shrugged.

"Anyway, you've probably figured out that Nao and I are very similar, right?" I asked.

Shizuru nodded. "Yes. You two have quick tempers, and dirty mouths. You seem to control yours a bit better."

I sighed. "Yeah, Nao lost both of her parents when she was young. I essentially lost both of my parents, too. I haven't seen my father since he brought me to my Aunt Koika's house when I was nine. Nao's father was an American Marine who married her mother while he was on one of the bases here. Then he went to Aghanistan and was killed in a roadside bombing."

Shizuru gasped. "That's so sad."

I nodded. "That's not the half of it. Her mother had been battling cancer for a while. She even was able to go to the States to get treatment. Unfortunately, it had gone terminal when Nao was only fourteen. Nao essentially had to watch her mother waste away.

After that she was bounced around in the foster system. No one seemed to be able to handle her sharp wit, sharper tongue and violent temper. So she would take it out on criminals. Nao met Reito when he saw her wipe out an entire gang of thugs by herself. He asked her to use her talents at his agency, she agreed and that's where I met her.

We bonded over a case that involved a rather lecherous client. Turns out he liked red heads and she happened to be just his type." Shizuru made a face. "Yeah, he filed a complaint against her when she handcuffed him to his bed and walked out on him. Reito was not impressed with him, so he sent me in with one of Aoi's little cameras to document everything. Sure enough, he groped Nao then he tried to do the same with me. I dislocated his wrist. Reito sued him twice for sexual harassment. We've been friends since."

Shizuru's eyes were wide and she shook her head. "My, you sure got a lot out of her. If she's like you then she would rather look after her own business."

I reached over and placed my hands over hers which were wrapped around the empty mug of tea. "Yeah, I only got her to tell me her story after I told her mine and gave her lots of alcohol. Please, don't tell anyone else?"

"I wasn't planning to. Thank you for telling me." She responded solemnly, bringing her eyes up from our hands to my own eyes. They were so red.

"Beautiful," I murmured as our gazes locked. I had no trouble losing myself in the swirling reds.

"Ew! Can't you two get a room?" Nao had caught us.

I broke first. "Why would we need a room, Nao?" I asked, glaring up at the short redhead.

"Because you were having sex with your eyes." She responded dryly.

Shizuru shook herself and quipped. "So says the resident sexual deviant."

"Whatever, Fox. I need to take the mutt to see the boss man." She turned to me. "He said he's called like five times, and texted a couple times too. What gives?"

I shot Shizuru a quick glance. "Sorry, I have the phone on vibrate and I must not have felt it. Nao go on ahead, I'll catch up. He's at the police station, right?"

"Yeah, you'd better hurry. He's a little upset because of that incident a couple nights ago." With that she spun and marched out of the Café, towards the police station.

Shizuru gave me a curious look, "Why would Reito-san be upset about something that occurred two days ago?"

I grunted as we stood. I gathered up my things while Shizuru took our used stuff to the trash. When she came back I answered shortly. "We may have caught the guy who has been planting those bugs in your room."

We headed outside. Shizuru was silent until we hit the sidewalk. "So, you were staking out my room for a number of nights I take it?"

"Yeah, only three though. The third night someone had gotten in." I responded lightly.

"Why wasn't I told anything of this?" She asked a little sharply.

I knew this was coming; Shizuru is another who doesn't like to have her problems taken care of for her. "Well, I didn't want you to worry and the fewer people that knew of this the better."

That slightly mollified her, because the next question out of her mouth came from way out in left field. "How have you been sleeping?"

I blinked and stuttered out, "O-Okay, I guess. You?" I've been sleeping terribly since she and I haven't been sleeping together on a regular bases. I still haven't told her about my insomnia.

"Oh, well enough I suppose." She shot me a devilish smirk. "I slept much better with a certain black haired biker in my arms. I was merely hoping that she felt the same way."

_Yes! Me too!_ I wanted to scream out but I had to play it cool. "If a certain brown haired heiress is able to keep her paws to herself, then the biker may agree to a sleepover."

I was rewarded with a bright smile and twinkling eyes. "Okay, I'll hold you to it then. I'll be over at nine. I only have rehearsal so it won't take long. I want details on your little search and destroy mission."

"How about this - I'll pick you up after rehearsal and we can have food. It'll be my treat."

Shizuru surprised me with a quick hug, running her fingers slowly down my back to my waist and murmured in my ear, "I'll be looking forward to it," before taking a quick nibble at my sensitive earlobe. Abruptly she let go and started to head for the train station.

I nearly whimpered. I was trying to be a good girl and here she was pushing all my buttons. Traitor.

"Zuru! That's not helping!" I yelled at her retreating back.

* * *

I sighed as I leaned against my bike, waiting for Shizuru to exit _The HiMe Star._ I parked it across the street in the shade, because I knew that Shizuru would most likely be trying to get Anh to spill the beans on what went down a couple nights ago.

Reito was royally pissed off that Nao had essentially sexually harassed the guy who stole Shizuru's clothes. Nao had remarked that this was the first time she's heard of someone trying to file a complaint against the police department for sexually harassing them into confessing a crime. Reito had to apologize to the police even as they arrested the man for trespassing and stealing. At least we didn't mess that up.

I watched the passersby with little interest until I noticed a familiar spikey head weaving its way towards me.

_Damn it._ A low growl escaped my lips.

Takeda Masashi had taken to showing up at odd places on campus. The poor kid either chose not to notice or did not realize my total lack of interest in him. I had turned him down flat about five times since our little encounter. Maybe he thinks I've been playing hard to get.

I plastered on a wide fake smile as he noticed me and honed in on my position like a guided missile. Wishing that I could duck and cover, I sent him a quick "Hi," as he strutted up to the rail separating the pedestrians from the street and leaned on it.

He smiled what he thought was his most charming smile, "Fancy meeting you here." He raked his eyes down my body and then snapped back up to my face. He was finally learning that Natsuki's face is most definitely not below her neck. I should throw him a bone or something.

I suddenly wished that I hadn't worn my really tight cargos and black V-neck fitted tee that showed off the tops of my breasts under my tight leather jacket. I chose it because it had "Ass Kicker" slashing diagonally across the front in bold gothic writing. "Yeah fancy that." I responded in a slightly sarcastic tone.

He looked at my silver bike not noticing the biting tone in my voice. "Nice ride. How many do you have anyways?"

"Um, just the two." I answered. This conversation is dying a slow and painful death. Hopefully, he takes the hint.

Takeda suddenly had an epiphany, "So you're waiting for someone, then?" Pure brilliance.

I nodded and was about to respond when my phone vibrated. Shizuru sent me a text.

**All done u ready?**

I shot her an affirmative reply. Then I panicked. If Takeda sees her here he could be trouble for Shizuru. Most of the students on campus may know her as the dancer in one of the most popular clubs in town, but they hadn't spoken up yet. Takeda was so dense that he'd announce it everywhere. That includes the circles that his dad and her dad ran in, too. If I didn't do something quick she'd could be in deep shit.

"But, you know, Masashi-kun, I would love it if you could keep me company until my friend comes back." I said in my most seductive voice as I sauntered over to the railing.

"G-great!" he stuttered out as I slid off my jacket and slowly turned to sit on the top rung of the railing. For good measure, I threw back my head and shook out my long hair, giving him a lovely view of my neck.

With my hair properly tousled I tucked in my chin and sent him a sultry look and husked. "It's good that you came around. I'm always afraid of creepy guys coming on to me." God, I felt like I was a pinup model.

He gulped and straightened, completely forgetting that I'd thrown a knife at him. "Well, don't worry I-"

A car honked, startling him to glance at the street just as the door to _The Star_ opened.

_Oh crap! _

I panicked and pulled on the lapels of his light jacket so his face was level with me. I crushed my lips against his, all the while, watching as Shizuru paused outside the door, spotted us, and then start walking quickly towards us.

_I am so going to pay for this somehow._ I thought as I felt Takeda sloppily returning my kiss. Gross.

Pulling away and whispering in his ear "Thank you, my knight," I hopped off the railing and turned to Shizuruwho was glaring daggers at me.

"Ara, I see Takeda-kun has found another conquest. Although I am sure that Natsuki has her reasons." Her tone was light and teasing but her eyes spat crimson fire.

"Huh?" was Takeda's intelligent reply.

"Ikezu, Natsuki-chan! You've struck the poor man dumb!" Shizuru feigned concern and began to rub his arm. "Don't worry Takeda-kun many in the past have fallen for her feminine charms but they have been able to pick themselves up and move on." She gave him an encouraging smile. "Now carry on brave sir, I'm sure you'll be back to normal in no time." She pulled on his arm and let go as he began to shuffle in the direction he came from.

I almost felt sorry for him. But when Shizuru turned to me, smile falling off her face, I was beginning to feel sorrier for myself.

She vaulted over the railing and marched to my bike, picking up the spare helmet I had stuck on the handle bars and jamming it on her head. I eyed her as I followed suit, shrugging on the jacket before mounting the machine. One of her hands snaked under the leather and I jumped as fingers pinched my flesh hard.

"My place. Now." Shizuru demanded flatly. Her voice was almost alien to me. No matter how upset she was, she always maintained that lilting quality that I loved so much.

I nodded, not daring to speak, and revved my engine. She held on to the safety bar and not me as we pulled out into traffic.

When we parked at the entrance of her building, she leapt off the bike and pulled off her helmet, giving her hair an angry toss. She cocked a hip and placed the helmet on it. She made angry look sexy. I think that this is what models call their 'fierce' look.

"Well Natsuki, are you going to do your job?" She asked, her Kyoto accent creeping into Kyoto-ben. Her voice was musically seductive again, dangerous undertones making it menacing.

I sighed, knowing that the biting comment had come from her being angry with me. This was one of the problems that I was hoping to avoid when I asked that we backed off. We hardly knew each other. For all I know, Shizuru might think that I actually wanted to kiss the idiot.

I couldn't help but watch her ass as I climbed up the stairs behind her. Those jeans are really tight…

"Really, Natsuki? I catch you kissing that lecherous man, and now you are checking me out? Are you trying to piss me off?" Shizuru bit out from above me. What the hell? Is she a friggin mind reader?

I was so stunned that the only thing that popped out of my mouth was "Holy Shit! You just swore! And besides, I don't think you get to tell me who I kiss." I added defensively, rushing to catch up with her. Her heels clacked angrily against the cement of her floor as she made her way to her apartment.

Shizuru froze in front of her door and turned to face me. Eyes blazing she snarled. "You know what? Don't come in. I'll see you tomorrow." She jammed her key in the lock and turned it, opening the door and disappeared into the apartment. It was slammed shut with enough force to shake the frame. She didn't bother to give me back the spare helmet.

I hung my head. I know that if I had caught her kissing someone I would have been pissed off too. Besides I was a total jack ass. I deserved to be thrown off the building.

I absently took the long way back to my apartment. When I got to my little room, I flipped open my laptop and scrolled through my emails, eager to get Shizuru out of my head. I got an email from Koika saying that she and Mo were going to Skype me sometime next week and was wondering when the best times were to catch me. I shot her a reply, giving her my schedule, and writing that she could choose any free time.

Then I texted Shizuru. It was a simple "I'm sorry," but I hoped that she would give me time to explain myself.

I didn't sleep that night. Or for the next two.

* * *

Anh called me into her office about a couple days after Shizuru and I had our little falling out. Apparently, the entire club noticed that the star and her body guard were not talking to each other and rumors were flying.

"Misaki-chan, please sit." Anh gestured to the plush chair in her office as she moved to the door to lock it. I slouched into the cushions.

"I'm going to start with this: you look like shit, have you been sleeping?"

"Nope, I'm going on four days without sleep. I messed up bad." I responded flatly.

Anh sighed, "Is it as bad as I think it is?"

I barked out a bitter laugh, "Yeah, maybe worse. I kissed Masashi Takeda in front of her. Then was a total ass when I brought her home."

Cerulean eyes hardened, "Natsuki, why in the name of heaven did you kiss that horny sack of shit?"

Whoa, she must really hate Takeda or at least his family. "I was waiting for her to finish practice and he came up to me to flirt. Shizuru came out of the_ Star_ and I thought it would create a scandal if he saw her. I panicked." I put my head in my hands and closed my eyes.

"You moron." She rapped the top of my head gently with her knuckles. "If that was all that you worried about, you didn't need to. Takeda Masashi is aware that Shi-chan and I are close friends. He also knows that I own the _Star._ He wouldn't have looked twice if he saw her come out of the club."

I choked out a "What" as I absorbed this little piece of information. My vision blurred. "Anh, how do I fix this? She might think I am attracted to Takeda. He has been coming after me ever since he caught me changing into my riding gear at school. I have told that bastard 'no' so many times."

Anh sighed and rubbed my back. "You kids are going to be the death of me. I can tell you this: Shizuru was probably more upset with herself for over-reacting. She and Takeda go way back and something happened between the two of them. I won't tell you more, but I know that she has come to care for you more than she thought she would and I'm not sure she knows how to act."

"Yeah, me too. I am sure that Reito has told you about all of the team's little quirks, yes?" I looked up to see her nod.

"Well, according to my Aunt, who has a PhD in psychology, my temper is linked to a very acute protective instinct. While my anger may stem from my past, my protective nature is something that is always evolving." I paused, searching for the right words to describe what I was feeling. "Shizuru's told you about my violent outbursts?"

Anh huffed, "Yes, and Natsuki, if you hurt her I will personally make your life hell."

"Impossible. Anh, when I crushed that man's nose, it was the first time I had reacted so violently since high school. It totally goes against my instincts to attack the one that I want to protect."

"Ara," Anh whispered. "So, let me get this straight, if I was with you and those men had accosted me in the same manner, you would have reacted with more restraint?"

I nodded. "Of course I would make sure that they would regret trying to mess with you but I wouldn't snap like I did with her."

A sharp rap on the door interrupted us as Anh began to respond. She walked over, poked her head out and I heard murmured whispers. I was too wrapped up in my misery to pay attention.

When the door clicked shut and she walked in front me, I looked up. "Anh, what I am about to tell you, do not repeat to Shizuru. Please."

"Oh this had better be good."

"Shizuru is the first person that makes me want to be better, not for my sake but for hers. I wake up every morning thinking of ways to make her smile, just so I can watch her eyes light up. And when she does, she makes me weak in the knees. When she is sad or upset I just want to hold her until she feels better." I took a deep breath. "Anh, I think I might be in love with her."

"Oh my. Shizuru's right, you are a romantic at heart." She smiled gently and reached out to rustle her fingers through the fake hair of my wig. "I haven't known you for long but I know that you have a big heart. And I haven't seen Shizuru shine so brightly. You must be doing something right. Just give her time and she'll come around."

I nodded as I stood up. Giving her a hug, I said, "Thanks Anh. I really needed that."

She chuckled and patted my shoulder. "You're welcome. Now go home and sleep. I'll have Nao take over for today."

I went home, but I sure as hell didn't fall asleep. Carefully taking the wig off and shaking out my hair, I began to undress. My Misaki clothes were strewn about the apartment but I didn't care. In my light PJ pants and a sleeping tank, I flopped on my couch. Downing a huge coffee, I picked up my sketchbook and pencil and began to draw the image that had burned in my head since I left the _Star_.

An hour flew by and I had just begun to fill in the details of my focal point, a lone wolf sleeping peacefully under the protective branches of a large maple tree, when my computer rang. I glanced at it and saw that it was my aunts, Skyping me a day earlier than what we agreed on.

I carefully placed the sketchbook down on the coffee table and moved to pick up the laptop. Clicking the receive button as I settled back into a comfortable position on the couch, I waited for the images to buffer.

My Aunt Koika's exotic face appeared on the screen. "Hello, Koko. It's good to see you." I said using her old nickname. At ten, I thought it was funny to name my favorite family member after my favorite drink: hot cocoa.

Hazel eyes danced merrily as she husked out, "Hey there Chibi-chan. How's my favorite niece?"

Aunt Koika's actually a Native Japanese speaker, because my father's family had moved to Japan when she was very little. She and dad are both half Japanese but my dad's Japanese heritage was hidden behind the American genes. Aunt Koika looked like an exotic blend of her western and eastern heritage. Her hair was perfectly straight and had an interesting blend of colors. I would describe it as cherry dark chocolate. It was cut with sharp layers in the front to accentuate her penetrating hazel eyes. They were wide and canted and set in a strong featured face. Currently her generous mouth was stretched into a warm smile and her full lips only had lip balm on them. She never wore makeup because her skin was sensitive to it. Frankly, she didn't need it, she was naturally beautiful.

"I'm fine Koko, just haven't been sleeping much." When I saw her face scrunch up, I hastily added, "You know, because of work. I am with the client every day."

Her hazel eyes, which were glowing warm amber in the light, narrowed at me.

_Crap, I don't think she bought it._ I prepared myself for a lecture.

"Natsuki, you are not okay. It looks like your insomnia has flared up again. Not only that, my brute of a wife has told me that you have been beating up poor innocent people. Have you even been making sure to keep up with your calming routine? It's that Fujino girl right? Has she been causing you trouble?" She fired up more and more questions as she got more upset.

I sighed. "Koko, yes my insomnia is flaring again but it's because I can't be near Shizuru as often as I like now, and because I did something stupid." She opened her mouth to speak up and I cut her off. "No! Let me finish. Mo was exaggerating. I've only lost my temper a couple times but I took it out on scumbags and a couple of idiot fans. And I was doing my job too. Yes, I have been doing my calming exercises, but not as often because I've been with Shizuru so much."

I let Koika read between the lines. She's really good at figuring out what I want to say without me actually having to say it. Unlike Morgan, who has to be hit with something equivalent to a sledge hammer, Koika's good at subtle.

"Oh. Oh! My little Natsuki has found herself a girlfriend! That's great Chibi-chan." She paused. "Do you want to talk about why your insomnia is flaring?"

"I know why. Shizuru's pissed off at me because she caught me kissing a guy that she's had history with. I think she hates his guts. And instead of apologizing right away, I made it even worse by acting like a total asshole." I said bitterly.

Lean pale arms slipped over Koika's head as Morgan's pixy like face appeared on the screen and she planted her chin on top of Koika's head.

"Top o-the Mornin' to ya!" She greeted cheerfully. Morning people can suck sometimes. Then again, I'm not really a morning person. Or a night person, since I don't sleep often.

I switched to English, because Morgan really hadn't grasped the nuances of Japanese. "Morning Miss Mo."

She grinned, her ice blue eyes dancing merrily because she knew that she had just interrupted something important. Koika's eyes flashed as she growled low in her throat.

_Two guesses as to what side of the family I get my temper from_. I thought, watching Koika as she struggled to calm down. She'll snap in 3, 2, 1…

"Will you get off me, you deranged Tinker Bell wannabe! I'm trying to have a serious conversation here!" Koika yelled in her accented English. The computer was jostled as she stood up and twisted, her long hair flashing in the camera's view finder.

I waited patiently as Koika chased her spouse around the house. Morgan and Koika were complete opposites in not only their looks but in their demeanor. The only thing that they had in common was that they both could model, although Koika's small five foot two inch frame might bar her from the profession.

Because of Morgan's height and her penchant for wearing gothic clothes, people really thought she was a pixie from hell. She even wore her ashy blond hair in a short pixie cut, with her bangs spiked down over her large blue eyes. It was a good choice, because it only served to highlight her delicately sharp facial features. When she lost a bet against Koika, Morgan had to dress up as an elf queen and crash a comic convention. She not only crashed it but ended up getting her picture in one of DC's newspapers; her costume and looks were just that eye catching.

Koika was the down to earth, get it done now type. Morgan was a mischievous, go with the flow type and had a wicked sense of humor. Her favorite hobby was tormenting Koika. It certainly made for an interesting time growing up, that's for sure.

Finally, Koika and Morgan both sat in front of the computer, sucking in breaths of air.

I chuckled. "Done yet?"

"No."

"Yes."

Morgan shot her wife a look, which was pointedly ignored, "Baby, I could go all day." She drawled.

"Morgan!" Both Koika and I shouted.

"What?"

Koika slapped her shoulder, "This is not the time. Besides, what's with telling me that Natsuki has been beating up innocent people? Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

Morgan opened her mouth, but knowing her, she was going to say something dirty, so I interrupted her. "Koika, do you want to see my recent sketches? I have lots of them." Drawing was one of the things that Koika suggested I do, once she found out that I was good at it and that I liked to do it, to help filter some of my anger.

"Sure thing, Chibi-chan."

"Oh, I love your sketches, Nats." Morgan piped up eagerly.

I reached over the top of the laptop and grabbed my sketchbook. When I sat back down, I noticed both my aunts had identical looks of concern on their faces.

"Why do you have a line running down your arm?" Morgan asked sternly.

_Shit._ "Um, Shizuru's stalker attacked me with a knife." I said sheepishly.

Koika pressed closer to the screen, "Your arm, I want to see it. Now." Not being able to say no to that tone, I held up my arm to the camera. I slowly turned it so they could see the full extent of the wound. Koika gasped and Morgan's eyes narrowed in on it, her features hardening.

"Natsuki, why didn't you tell us?" Koika demanded.

I winced, "Well I didn't want to worry you. It doesn't hurt anymore." I said softly.

"Natsuki, we worry about you every damn day. We love you." Morgan's southern accent drifted softly over the speaker.

Koika nodded, "You are like a daughter to us, not just someone who has been dumped on my doorstep. I know you like to fight your battles yourself, but please, at least keep us updated." Her eyes shone, bringing out the grassy green that was also a part of her in-between shade.

I whipped through my notebook. I had a drawing of something that they would appreciate. It was one of the few colored ones I did, but it was one of my favorites. "I know but I don't want you to feel like you have to protect me all the time." I flipped the notebook so they could see it.

Twin gasps of air were heard as my aunts took in the picture. I knew what they saw. A large wolf, with red tinged, chocolate covered fur and green-gold eyes was standing next to a tall silver haired elf. The elf was wearing a long black gown and one of her hands rested in the fur of the wolf's back. They were standing in the middle of a glade, sun shining down on them. The elf's ice blue eyes were staring forlornly at a smaller, ebony furred wolf. Its head was held high as it walked towards the unknown.

"I drew this right after I got hurt." I said.

"It's beautiful, Natsuki. I miss you so much." Koika turned her head into Morgan's shoulder and began to sob quietly. Morgan wrapped an arm around her wife and leaned her cheek on the top of her head.

Morgan's eyes shimmered as well, "Baby doll, thank you. But next time call us, or have that Shizuru do so for you if you can't. I miss you, too."

I shook my head, this was nothing, "You guys are the world to me. You took me in when no one would. Thank you so much."

Koika just sobbed harder and Morgan chuckled. "Natsuki, has anyone told you that you're a sap?"

"Yeah, all the time. I tell them I get it from my Koko." I grinned as Koika's hand balled into a fist and she punched Morgan in the stomach, still bawling her eyes out.

"Ow! Woman! I'm getting soaked by hurricane Koika and she punches me." Morgan feigned an annoyed growl.

"Th-That's for giving Natsuki the opening to tease me. I'd hit her too but she's half way across the world!" Koika wailed.

I burst out laughing and Morgan followed suit. Koika looked up at Morgan, then at me through watery eyes, and then added her smoky chuckles into the mix.

"Chibi-chan, make sure you fix whatever you broke so you can sleep again. We have to go, we're meeting Bo and Sue at the park later to play with Natalia."

"Yes, Ma'am." I saluted at her. "We should do this more often, it's fun."

Morgan rolled her eyes, "Duh! Natsuki, I don't know where you get your stupidity from; certainly not from me."

I hung up on them bickering over who gave me my attributes. I chuckled, it's good having parents. Sure, Koika and Morgan haven't legally adopted me, but I'm theirs in every way but the law.

I rubbed at my wolf locket and then opened it with a snap. "Mama, they are good people. I didn't realize this before, but I am a lucky girl. I have one mother watching over me in Heaven and two more keeping an eye out for me here on Earth."

I stumbled over to my bed. I don't even think I felt my head hit the pillow.

* * *

Eagerly, I waited for my unsuspecting messenger to appear. I was pacing the DJ's nest at the _Star_, dressed in my Misaki best. The outfit was completely black from head to toe. My buttoned up shirt's sleeves were rolled neatly up above my elbows. Its last two buttons were left undone and snaking loosely around my neck was a white skinny tie. A black fedora rested atop my head. My black pants were held up around my waist by a thick white belt with silvery trim.

A wolf whistle sounded off behind me and I spun to face JUN of all peopled. "Hey. What's up?"

He eye balled me. "Mm. If only you weren't dating my girl…" He trailed off, looking like he wanted to jump me.

"Down boy, you know I don't swing that way." I said truthfully.

JUN chuckled, "Yeah, but it doesn't hurt to look." Slowly, he inspected me from head to toe. "Maybe it is. Misaki, you are the only person I know who can pull off that look."

"Um. Thanks?" I said hoping he would go away. I liked him, he was a good person, but his constant advances were getting a little tiring.

"Mi-chan!" We both looked at the door to find Arika standing there, staring at me in awe.

"Wow! You really look like a prince today!" Arika said excitedly as she rushed over to throw her arms around me.

JUN gave me a wave and slipped out. I patted Arika's head as she snuggled into my chest.

"Hey, Bug. How's it going?" I asked softly. I'd given her the nickname because she was so small for her age.

She looked up at me with big shining eyes. "Shizuru nee-chan is really sad and she hasn't come out of her room all day! I just came from there and she said that she misses her wolf. I don't know what that means, though."

I sighed and knelt so I was looking up at her. "Could you deliver this for me?" I handed her my sketch which was framed with plain card stock and wrapped in forest green paper. "Can you ask her if it's okay for me to come and visit?"

She nodded solemnly. "I don't know if you're her wolf or whatever, but I like it when she's around you. She's like a fairy princess then."

I smiled up at her. "Thanks, Bug. Now go on." I watched as she spun and walked briskly away, carefully holding the present in front of her.

Sitting down on the stool that the DJs use, I pulled of my hat and ran my fingers through my fake hair. I propped my chin in my hand and waited. And waited.

Finally, I heard light footsteps rushing up the stairs towards me. Arika skidded to a stop in front of me. I waited patiently for her to catch her breath.

"She says yes!" Arika shouted excitedly.

Stuffing my hat back on my head I walked as fast as I could down to Shizuru's room. Akira trailed behind me.

When I reached the door, I looked at Arika. "Thanks Bug, I think I can handle it from here." I gave her a wolfish grin and winked.

She turned pink and said "Voila nee-chan said that I should come so you won't do anything weird."

_Oh, well. I really don't care at this point. _ I thought as I knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" Shizuru's melodious voice filtered through the door. After only five days or so of not hearing it, it hit me like a hammer.

Shaking my head, I answered. "It's Misaki."

"Is Arika there with you?"

I sighed. "Yes! Arika, say hi. She isn't going to open it unless you say something."

"Yes sir! Hi Viola nee-chan! I hope you and Mi-chan can be friends again."

The door opened wide, revealing a slightly annoyed Shizuru. "Misaki, you didn't coach her did y-"

I couldn't take it anymore. Quickly I stepped in the room and gently held her face as I leaned in for a kiss. Luckily, we were so close in height that I really didn't have to waste any extra movements that would telegraph my intentions.

I put all I had into that kiss. She stiffened at first, initially trying to push me away weakly with her hands at my shoulders. Finally, she responded, her hands tugging me closer to her. My nerves were singing as I felt her lips soften against mine.

A sharp cough from the doorway caused us to break apart, each of us breathing heavily. Shizuru looked at me, her eyes a dark burgundy and leaned in, her hands still on my shoulders.

"You are going to pay for that." She husked seductively in my ear.

I turned around sharply and looked at Arika to avoid answering her. Her face was red, but her eyes shone in admiration.

"That was so romantic." She sighed. "I guess that Mi-chan is your wolf?"

"Yes, he is also so terribly clichéd at times." I snorted, she loves clichés. "Arika-chan, I need you to not mention what you just saw. There are people who might not take kindly to Misaki and I being together."

"You got it, Viola nee-chan. I'll leave you guys alone." Arika bolted.

She let go of my shirt and pushed the door shut. Locking it, she sauntered towards me.

"That, Natsuki, was totally uncalled for." She whispered. "What happened to the whole 'let's slow down and be best friends' thing?"

"Zuru, I realized that I like being friends with you, but I love being whatever we were before." I said truthfully.

"And Masashi?" She asked sharply.

I looked down sheepishly, "Zuru, do you really think I'm attracted to him?"

"Honestly? Yes, I do."

I looked up, locking my eyes with her burgundies. "Well, I'm not. I am only attracted to girls, more specifically, a crimson eyed princess."

"That doesn't explain why you kissed that man and why you acted that way in my building." She responded with an edge in her voice.

I sighed. "Look, I thought that Takeda would see you come out of the club and cause a scandal, so I distracted him. I don't know why I reacted that way when you were so obviously upset. We aren't even officially dating and because I wasn't attracted to him, so I never even considered that as cheating."

Suddenly, her eyes narrowed and she jabbed a finger at me causing me to step back. "You're telling me that you wouldn't have felt the same way if you caught me kissing someone else? Besides that, you asked to slow down and a month later I find you kissing someone that I highly dislike. What was I supposed to think?"

She backed me to the couch and I was forced to sit down on it with a thump. Then she took my hat off and perched it on her head. She placed her hands on her hips.

"Oh." I realized the extent of my error. "Um, sorry. I only wanted to slow us down so we could get to know each other better." Leaning forward I grasped her waist and pulled her into my lap, ecstatic that she let me do so. "You know what? I realized that I can take your anger, but being completely cut off from you is pure torture." I said as I hugged her.

She pulled away and I gave her my wide eyed stare. "Ikezu. You know I can't resist those eyes." She murmured as she ran the pads of her fingers down my face. "You are forgiven. I know I kind of overreacted and I am sorry for being so angry. I got used to the idea of having you all to myself, so it was a bit of a shock."

"Shizuru, do you know that wolves mate for life?" I asked, plucking my hat off her head.

She giggled and said, "But we haven't even mated yet," as she watched my face go red. "I love your drawing by the way."

"Thanks. Is that sleepover permanently off or just postponed?" I asked eagerly.

"Postponed. I meant what I said; you help me sleep better." She nodded to her new picture, which was currently resting on the couch next to us. "And I am guessing that I do the same for you?"

"Yeah. Oh and that kiss I gave you, think of that as payback for that little stunt you pulled before this whole fiasco." I grinned up at her as her eyes widened in surprise.

She slapped my shoulder. "Okay, we're even. But you do realize that Arika is going to have trouble keeping her mouth shut."

I shrugged it off, there had been rumors circulating about us for a very long time. "Yeah, but I don't really care."

She pulled out her cell phone and dialed a number. She tapped on it to put it into speaker mode. Anh picked up.

"Hello, Anh nee-chan. I was wondering if I could take the rest of the night off."

"_And why would you want to do that?" _Anh's voice echoed through the room.

"Hello Anh." I spoke up.

"_Ah, made up I see? Okay, just because I know you guys need the break. And get some sleep. No hanky panky."_ She hung up before we could protest.

"You heard the lady, let's get out of here." I said, eager to shed my disguise.

"Ara, such vigor." She grinned as I led her out of the club.

We zipped along the city streets. I drove as fast as I knew Shizuru was comfortable with, towards her apartment. When we got there we quickly undressed and hopped into bed. We heaved simultaneous sighs of relief as we snuggled up together. I tiredly played with the ends of Shizuru's soft hair.

"Zuru, did I ever tell you that are really comfortable?"

"Nastuki, go to sleep." I did exactly that.

I woke up the next afternoon to find that Shizuru was still in bed with me, reading a book.

"Good morning, my Natsuki."

Boy did it feel good to be claimed again. "Morning."

She put down her book and said, "While you and I were not talking, I decided to do some research." She took a deep breath and added, "I found out Tomoe's identity."

I sat up, "Really? Who is she?"

Shizuru shook her head. "I'll tell you, but I want something in return."

I hesitated. Shizuru drove a hard bargain. "Okay, shoot - what do you want?"

"I want to be put on the team."

* * *

**AN: Hey! This chapter was a little hard to write but It was worth all the bumps and bruises! I hope you all liked it as much as I liked to write it. I may keep the one and a half to two week release schedule so I can really get into the nitty gritty of the thing. Any mistakes are my own- as my beta gets just about everything. **

**I am going to try to distinguish from now on between Shizuru's accent and when she slips into Kyoto-ben (the dialect) since they will be heading to Kyoto in the next chapter. **

**Koika's nickname for Natsuki (Chibi chan) could be translated as "little one" - Chibi means small in Japanese.**

**Reviews are always welcome!**


	8. A Knight in Camelot

_AN: Hello all! Thank you for all of your awesome reviews! As always, Athena Sampaio beta'd this lovely chapter and any mistakes you see are my own. Here is a glossary of terms to help y'all out!_

_Maiko: Apprentice Geisha/ Geiko they are easily spotted by their elaborate make-up and hairstyles and kimonos._

_Gion Kibu: A district of Kyoto famous for its enclave of Maiko. It is one of the last remaining enclaves in Japan._

_Kitsune: Japanese for fox. It is also the term for fox fairies/ demons. One of the most famous examples of a kitsune in anime is Youko Kurama from Yu-Yu- Hakusho_

_Ookami- Japanese term for wolf _

_Kinkaku-ji/ The Temple of the Golden Pavilion: A famous Buddhist temple. The pavilion is actually made of wood covered with gold leaf and is surrounded by a small lake. It is featured on the Mac OS X as a background picture labeled 'Golden palace.'- its super cool so go ahead and check it out!_

* * *

_A Knight in Camelot_

"What!" Natsuki stared open-mouthed at me, her emerald eyes wide with shock.

Sighing and looking down at the closed book in my lap, I stated calmly, "You heard me, Natsuki."

She leaned in. "Yeah, but I want to make sure that I wasn't in a nightmare. Why do you want to be on the team? Aren't we good enough?" I looked into her face, surprised. Her eyes were big and shining. She was wearing her puppy dog face and it was almost as devastating as her predatory look.

_Touché, it looks like my Natsuki is finally learning to play dirty_, I thought wincing. "Ara! You are the best team of bodyguards that I have had the pleasure of knowing. But, you have never had to protect a client this long or be this involved, yes?" I asked, hoping that she would understand.

She muttered something to herself, and then with a confidence that only she could project she said. "No, but we all have had similar experiences in handling long term cases. And besides, this is turning into something of a learning experience for everyone." She looked at me and said gravely. "I would prefer it if Tomoe would not know that you are actively looking for her. It might draw her out of whatever depths she has come from. Sure it would make it a little easier to catch her, but I don't want to use you as bait. "

I looked at her earnest, eager face and sighed. Did she not realize how important she has become to me? I do not want this little cat and mouse game to last for much longer. If it were to continue, she could end up with more than just a scar on her arm and body. "I…" suddenly she reached up to my face and cradled my cheek in her palm, her expression worried.

"Zuru, why do you look so lost? Is it because of who Tomoe is?" She asked, the gray silk of her voice enveloping me.

Raising my hand to grasp at hers, I turned my head so I could place a kiss on her palm. "Partially. I just want this to be over with and, I know you are not going to like this, but you will need me to be on the team simply because of who Tomoe is."

She narrowed her forest green eyes at me and set her face in determination. "Ah, so I was right. Tomoe is from an upper class family. They must be in the same circles that your family is in. She met you at one of your family's functions. She probably has been stalking you quietly for several years and something triggered her to take a more direct approach." She shot me a wolfish grin. "How am I doing so far?"

"Ara." I whispered. Natsuki was the only person I knew that could surprise me. That was one of the reasons why I was so drawn to her. I have always found that People are easy to read; they are like open books. This raven haired biker was so hard to figure out. Oh, I knew that she was a sweet young woman and a little airheaded at times, but she always manages to surprise me with that razor sharp wit of hers. Sure she and I have tossed ideas as to where Tomoe came from around, but Natsuki had effectively figured out everything but her name. Amazing.

"Yup, thought so." I drew in a breath as she leaned in to place a soft kiss on my lips. "I will never let her touch you again. I don't care what her family's social standing is or how much money they are sitting on. What she is doing is wrong and she must be stopped. Tomoe friggin tried to rape you and has made your life hell for so long." She growled, even as she gently pulled me into her for a hug.

"How did you guess?" I asked.

She smiled again. "Well, I know that you are very much aware as to who your craziest fans are and can keep them from doing anything rash. Tomoe hasn't done anything that would set off your radar until now so you probably never saw her as a threat." I nodded, that was true enough. "I still had trouble figuring out where she came from until you asked to be on the team. You think that you can shield us from any backlash from her family, right?"

I nodded into her shoulder, "Natsuki, I still wish to be on the team." I felt her stiffen. "No, listen please?" I waited until she relaxed and I began to draw circles on her back, through the fabric of her pajama top. "I am not asking to be with you all while you hunt down the proxies. However, I do wish to be informed when you do something like stake out my dressing room. I do not ask this of you just for the thrill or some notion that I think I can help." I paused, catching my breath. "I _know _I can help. My training in psychology can be of some use. While I know that you all are capable of finding what you are looking for, you can use me to narrow the search.

Besides, you will need to be discreet when you handle her family. They can be a little touchy, especially if you go after her with your usual bluster."

Natsuki let out a short barking sound and said with a hint of laughter, "Zuru, I've been raised by the top two female agents in the CIA and FBI. The two agencies loved showing them off, especially Aunt Koika. She's the profiler and even has published a book. They have been invited to all the parties where people with sticks up their asses preen themselves. I know my way about high society."

I laughed, "Natsuki certainly is full of surprises today. However, she must not forget that I am here and willing to help. She need only ask."

Natsuki hummed thoughtfully. "You know, you make a good point. We could use someone who has trained specifically in psychology. You are exceptional at reading people. After all, you were able to figure me out after only knowing me for two hours." She sighed and squeezed me a little tighter. "I just don't want you to tire yourself out. Please, let us shield you for a little while longer, even though I know you don't like it."

I shook my head into her shoulder. "Shields get broken and battered if used too much. They can be replaced. A knight, who is willing to stand by his liege and protect her blindside is all I ever wanted."

Natsuki pulled back and held my face in her gentle hands. "How about a knight who is willing to lay down his life to protect his fair lady?"

I chuckled. When she put her mind to it, she could really lay down the clichés. "Ara. Is there a knight around who would wish to protect such a willful lady?"

She answered me with a roguish grin that would have made Chie proud. "I know of a certain knight who rides a steel steed and wears leather instead of shining armor. She is always looking for a challenge. Perhaps milady would approve?"

It was too much. I laughed as tears started to stream down my face and I had to pull away so I could clutch at my stomach. Natsuki sat back and simply watched me, her eyes twinkling with laughter and her mouth split into a wide smile.

Still chuckling, I brushed away my tears and leaned back into Natsuki, running my hands up her back feeling her strong muscles as they tensed from the contact. "I think she will do." I whispered and then caressed my lips against hers in a brief but passionate kiss.

"Her name is Tomoe Marguerite. You were correct, we met for the first time at a gathering of the families in the rare gems business. I do not recall what I did to make her so infatuated with me, but like you, I do believe that she has been stalking me passively since then. I do not know however, what triggered her to act in such a way now." I said when I pulled back.

"Huh?" Natsuki asked, dazed.

I slapped her shoulder, knowing that she had heard me. "Ara, perhaps I should stop kissing Natsuki. She seems to lose her ability to think."

She blinked, coming out of her stupor. "You do that to everyone Zuru. You walk by and people fall over each other trying to get you to look at them. Thanks for the info. You understand that I can't just throw you on the team without making sure it's okay with the others first right?" Seeing my silent agreement, she hopped out of bed and rummaged around the floor for her discarded clothes from yesterday.

She threw them on and began to comb through her hair so she could pile it under her wig. Bustling out of my room, she headed towards the bathroom. Right as the door clicked shut, the doorbell rang.

Jumping off the bed and quickly moving to the door, I brushed off my clothes, getting the wrinkles out. I had changed while Natsuki slept and had gone out to get my favorite tea before she woke up. Suppressing a groan as I looked into the eyehole of my door, I pulled it open. Mai and Takumi were standing in the cool October air, twin smiles on their faces.

"Ara, please come in! I am sorry. I must have forgotten the time." Today was our weekly hangout date, and I had offered to take them to see a movie that Takumi had wanted to see.

Mai stepped in and shrugged. "It's okay Shizuru-san. Takumi and I are just happy that you would take time to hang out with us, with you being so busy and all."

Takumi closed the door behind him and followed Mai and I into the living room. Plopping down on the couch, he noticed Natsuki's fedora she had thrown carelessly at the couch last night.

"Hey, nee-chan. Isn't this…" He never got to finish because Natsuki had come storming from my bathroom, her shirt un-tucked and her wig messy. She looked like she had slept over.

"Hey, Shizuru. I can't remember where I put my hat. I thought I had taken it off in the back bedroom before checking it for…" She skidded to a halt, her blue green eyes widening at the sight of the siblings in my home. This was bad-Natsuki's natural voice, which was slightly higher than her altered voice, was coming out of her mouth. I looked at her neck and suppressed a groan- her voice alternator was missing.

"Um, hey guys." Noticing that Takumi had her hat, she marched over to him and tugged it out of his limp hands. "Thanks Takumi." This was getting awkward rather quickly.

Mai was apparently shocked that her always sharply dressed crush would look like a mess so late in the day. She was staring at her wide eyed and then stuttered, "M-Misaki-kun? Why are you here at three in the afternoon and still wearing your clothes from last night?"

I offered an explanation, piggy backing off of her earlier remarks. "Misaki drove me home last night. He always checks the apartment for security breaches before he leaves. He found one and offered to stay up to keep watch. He was so tired this morning when I woke up that I made him get some rest before he drove his death trap home."

Natsuki nodded. "I actually just woke up like a half an hour ago." She lowered her voice into a rough approximation of Misaki's voice. I almost slapped a hand to my face. _It's a little late for_ _that, Natsuki_.

"Okay, um, I hope everything went well then?" Mai sounded like she was convinced. We weren't so lucky with Takumi. He was looking between Natsuki and me with questions raging behind his violet eyes. I sighed and hoped that Takumi was not going to make a big deal out of Misaki sounding like a girl.

"Yup. Now I have to get home so I can write up the report." Natsuki grinned at Mai and added, "You look great, by the way, Mai."

Mai blushed red, preening under the rare praise. Takumi pretended to gag. I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Heaven help us if Natsuki figures out how to properly flirt. "I'll see Misaki to the door. Please sit down and relax." Following Natsuki to the door, I pulled her jacket out of the hall closet while she sat down and pulled on her shoes.

"Well, that was close." She said casually. Standing and twisting, she held out her hand for the leather. I nodded and handed it to her before pulling on my crocs. Luckily that statement was vague because I knew that Mai would be trying to listen in. I stayed silent.

Following my bodyguard out the door and closing it with a click, I reached out and tugged her hand so she would turn around. My other hand snaked its way up to her neck and I pulled her down to my lips. Time stopped as we savored the feel of each other. Natsuki backed me into my door and pressed me into it.

When we finally pulled away, Natsuki murmured, "Zuru, you've gotta stop messing with me like this. I don't know what I'll do next time." Her eyes pierced through me with a shy longing.

Not trusting myself to say anything that would give up her identity, I spoke softly, "I will hold you to your earlier promise, knight. Please remember to ask."

Natsuki gave me a silent nod and pulled away to prowl her way down to her motorcycle. I watched her go then shook myself and prepared to face my friends.

* * *

Luckily, Takumi had promised not to speak to anyone else about my bodyguard being in my home. He also didn't bring up the odd fact that Misaki sounded like a tired woman for most of the time being in my apartment. I wasn't too worried about Mai. She was smart but she tends to have selective memory when it comes to cute men.

Midterms provided a bit of a distraction and the pair of us were resting in Natsuki's little studio apartment relaxing after a long week of tests. She was playing a dating sim on her little PlayStation Vita while I watched. My head was pillowed on her shoulder while she rested the handheld device on my stomach.

I chuckled as she started to growl at her choices. "You know-you are the first person I have met who tries to learn Kanji by playing dating games."

She huffed. "Well, I can't really learn things by being forced to memorize them. I learn faster if I see them in context."

Giggling because she made her character brush off another potential suitor, I asked, "So, what was wrong with him? He seemed sweet."

She flipped off the Vita, pinning it between our bodies and the couch's back, and leaned back into the armrest of her couch. Her hands rested against my belly. "He was too soft. I have a feeling that he liked the other girl, so I didn't want my character to have to go through all that drama."

Half turning so I could hug her to me, I said. "Ara, Natsuki is so sweet. It is one of my favorite things about her."

I listened to her steady heartbeat and felt the chuckles well up from her body. Choosing not to answer that, she instead pulled me into a tighter embrace, shifting so we wouldn't fall off the couch. "I really should get a bigger couch if we keep doing this." She mused.

Sighing contently, I snuggled closer, bringing my free hand up to grasp at her shoulder, reveling in the quiet comfort. It was shattered by the sudden ringing of my cell phone. Quickly pushing off Natsuki I grabbed the phone off the coffee table. Ignoring her soft groan, I tapped the receive button and placed the phone to my ear.

"Hello, Fujino Shizuru speaking." I greeted, fighting a scowl as Natsuki mimicked my every movement. Very mature.

"_Hello, Shizuru. We have to talk." _My mother's stern voice floated through the speaker.

This was bad. While my mother and I weren't very close, she usually called to cheerfully talk about life at Fujino Manor. She probably gets lonely with no one to talk to since father is almost always out of the house. "What's wrong?" I asked slipping into the dialect of Kyoto.

"_Are you seeing someone, Shizuru?"_ She answered with her own Kyoto-ben. _"Perhaps a brooding young man who looks like he is too pretty for his own good?"_

Okay, bad just got worse. "Mother, why would you ask that? I have already assured father that I wouldn't do anything untoward." I reassured her.

She laughed. _"Shizuru, darling. You cannot play that card any longer. You and that young man certainly seem like you were having a lot of fun in front of your door."_

I stiffened and shot Natsuki a worried glance. She was watching me intently, matching my worried gaze. I sighed, defeated "Does father know?"

"_Yes, darling. The picture is hard to miss, seeing as it is plastered across the front page of the most popular tabloid in the country."_ I heard rustling and guessed that she was looking through the same paper. _"There are five-no, seven pages dedicated to figuring out who this mysterious man is." _Dark amusement had crept into her voice.

Natsuki, sensing that she was needed, slid over to my side of the couch and pulled me into a one armed embrace. I sighed and leaned my head into her shoulder. "Let me guess, the headlines say something like 'stunning heiress and handsome stranger caught! Who is this beautiful stranger'?"

"_Yes, not very clever are they?" _

"No. Mother, you know he is my bodyguard right? That was a moment that was long in coming. Misaki is a good person. He has always ever been the gentleman and a dear friend. My only regret is that I wasn't careful about where I kissed him."

I heard a resigned sigh and the she said softly, _"Darling, you know that I do not care who you choose to date. You are a beautiful young woman; I would be more worried if I didn't hear anything of the romantic nature coming from you."_ Her tone hardened. _"I, however, did not raise you to publicly display yourself in such a manner."_

_But you didn't raise me at all, Mother_. I thought, saddened. Out loud I responded to her rebuke, "Yes Mother."

Natsuki must have heard something in my voice, because she gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze. I looked up at her and found that her eyes were glowing a warm emerald and she was smiling softly at me. Bolstered by her silent confidence, I matched her smile and patted her knee.

"_You are coming to the Halloween Masque, yes? Your father has been planning this since he was elected and it would be good to have his daughter there for support."_

"Yes, I suppose that I should start looking for a date?" I responded.

"_No. We have one picked for you already. You will be bringing your new friend with you, yes?"_

I gasped. "Mother! This is not some elaborate plot to find a marriage partner? And I thought that father wouldn't want Misaki to come?" This was a little too much. The last time that my parents tried to arrange a marriage for me ended in disaster.

"_Yes. It is your duty to the Fujino family. I don't care what your father says. I want to see this Misaki in person. I know you, daughter, and you wouldn't let yourself be trapped by some false young man."_

"Okay, mother. But I have one thing to ask of you. Please do not be offended if he asks to speak with you in English. He is a returnee and still isn't quite comfortable with formal Japanese. To be fair to him, allow him this concession." Hopefully, this would stop my mother and father from trapping Natsuki in a conversation that she wouldn't understand. Plus, my mother loves old antebellum romances. Natsuki's Virginian accent should help soften her to the idea of us being together.

She chuckled. _"You are up to something, aren't you? Fine, the young man can speak in English. But make sure he has manners. Judging by the pictures he can be quite brutish."_

"Thank you. And he is doing his job, mother. When should we be expected?" My patience was growing thin. I hate when my parents decide to pop into my life to play with me like I am their rag doll.

Mother must have sensed it because she hastily spoke, _"Please arrive a week before the thirty first. It is a masque so have your costumes and masks ready to go. If you go sightseeing, make sure your publicist is there with you. We do not need the press thinking that you are having an affair once you are affianced."_

I frowned. "Perish the thought Mother! Last time my marriage was canceled it was a result of the man, and yet I still felt the backlash!" The bitter anger was evident in my voice and Natsuki started to growl.

"_What is that rumbling sound? Anyway, darling I must say good bye, for it is time for me to meet with the designer."_ She apparently thought that retreat was the better part of valor.

I chuckled as I brought my hand to Natsuki's stomach, gently rubbing it. "It is the TV. Please do not send this one off to the mental institution." My mother was as unmovable as a rock at times and when she put her mind to it, she could drive people to commit themselves. "Good bye mother." I hung up the phone before she could protest and chucked it across the room.

Natsuki cut off her agitated growls to watch it as it landed on her bed and bounced into her pillows. "I'd say that's pretty good aim if you wanted it to hit the bed, but I think that you wanted to break it, huh?"

I giggled, my mood lifting at her casual attitude. "Yes, I meant to break it. It would have been a bit of a hassle to get a new one though."

She grinned, "Yeah, shooting the messengers is bad especially when they were so reliable in the first place."

I shook my head. Sometimes her sense of humor is so strange. "Natsuki is alright with the fact that I could potentially be married off to a _man?" _ I dramatically emphasized my statement to let her know that I was half playing.

"Hell no! But I know that you'll find a way out of it. We'll figure out what to do when we hit that crossroad. There is a more pressing issue at hand though."

I was incredulous. "And what would that be?"

"Why, princess, finding a suitable costume for yours truly!" She let lose a barking laugh.

My laughter was cut off by warm lips on my own.

* * *

Kyoto was a revelation for Natsuki. She had to purchase a large amount of clothes for Misaki and Aoi even ordered another wig since she would have to be Misaki every day. In order to get in some sightseeing, the pair of us, with Yuukiko in tow, went to my hometown two days early. She marveled at the huge Kyoto station and forced us to walk from one end of the massive building to the other.

After we dropped our things off at the hotel - Yuukiko made sure that Misaki and I were not in the same room this time; we ended up in rooms a floor apart - we went to see the Maiko in Gion. The two Maiko who served us adored Misaki because of his honest charm. They even brought a pair of other Maiko who were off duty to see the handsome young man. I sighed, watching as Natsuki flattered the young women. She apparently forgot that it was their jobs to flatter her. She was fascinated by their explanations of their kimono and obi. Being an eager student, Natsuki asked enthusiastic questions and the Maiko answered them with glowing smiles. Natsuki even got one of the Maiko to reveal the meanings behind some of the elaborate pins that adorned her hair. Perhaps it would be good not to unleash her on the rest of Gion Kubo in her Misaki gear.

Later that evening, we went to Nintendo headquarters where Natsuki took a picture and quipped that for people who were so creative, they could have found a better place to park themselves than a concrete box.

Today, I woke Natsuki before dawn broke, so I could take her to my favorite place. The night was cold enough to frost the ground. As we headed toward our destination, bundled in jackets and scarves, the warmth of the rising sun created a dense fog. It was perfect weather to visit Kinkaku-ji. Even though it officially opened at 9 am, I knew the groundskeeper and convinced him to allow me to show my friend the famous pavilion when the sun hits it in the morning.

"I hope that this is worth it Zuru." Natsuki grumbled groggily. I shot her a questioning glance. During the debacle with Takeda, I noticed that Natsuki was coming into work looking like she hadn't slept at all. It has been puzzling me because I know that she sleeps like a rock whenever we are together. Moreover, we had been on our feet all day yesterday, and that should have tired her out enough to make her go to sleep once we got back to the hotel. I know I passed out almost immediately. Maybe she has a mild case of insomnia. I haven't had the courage to ask her about it because I knew that she would tell me if she wanted me to know about it.

"Do not worry, Misaki. I assure you that this will be the best thing of the trip." When we reached the gate, the old man was grinning at us. I gave him a formal bow and said "Ookini, grandfather. I truly appreciate this."

He shook his head and waved us through. I led Natsuki through the grounds to my favorite place. It was on the path across from the temple, which was shrouded in the dense fog. I stopped and sat on the ground, motioning for Natsuki and Yuukiko to do the same.

"And now we wait." I murmured into Natsuki's ear as I leaned in to adjust her scarf.

Soon, the sun had made its way over the hills, hitting the golden pavilion and burning fire across the small lake. "Behold the mists of Avalon." Natsuki whispered as she stood. Yuukiko gasped. I stood up, wondering why Natsuki was searching so intently at the lake.

"Why are you looking at the water?" I asked softly, puffs of mist escaping my lips.

Instead of responding, Natsuki intoned in English,

"So flashed and fell the brand Excalibur:  
But ere he dipt the surface, rose an arm  
Clothed in white samite, mystic, wonderful,  
And caught him by the hilt, and brandished him  
Three times, and drew him under in the mere."

When she turned to face me, she said, "I'm looking for the Lady of the Lake. I am pretty sure I've found Avalon."

I watched her grin like a little girl with the water reflecting off her porcelain face and melted. She was just too adorable for words. "Ara, and here I was thinking that Misaki was all about the action and not much of a scholar."

Natsuki snorted and replied, "My aunts weren't overly fond of Shakespeare so they got me into Sir Walter Scott and Tennyson. _Idylls of the King_ is one of my favorites but it's a chore to reread so I memorized most of it. That's about as scholarly as I get."

I laughed. "Come, we must be prepared for the day. I still have much to show you."

* * *

Our fun from the past two days dissipated into bickering as a car pulled up to the hotel's entrance to bring us to my family's mansion at the northern edge of the city. For some reason only known to her, Natsuki refused to dress up for my parents. Instead, she chose her normal bodyguard attire. Comfortably lose black cargos hung from her hips, held up by a white belt. She did choose a silvery collared long sleeved shirt that was tucked in, but left it unbuttoned showing off her voice alternator. I tried to drill it into her head that appearances were everything to my parents.

"Look, Zuru. I want them to see me as a bodyguard first and not the person who's on the front pages of the tabloids with their daughter. Wearing the things that I usually wear to work would hopefully emphasize that." Natsuki's deepened voice held a hint of impatience.

I leaned my head against my window and blindly reached out to hold her hand. Smiling as her firm warm hand found mine and guided it down to the seat, I went over what I was going to say to appease my parents. Not that it was any of their business who I date.

Suddenly, our clasped hands were pulled into the air and something soft pressed into my knuckles. I whipped my head around, startled, and found myself staring into an endless blue-green. "Yes, my Misaki?" I whispered.

"Relax, Princess. We'll get through this." Natsuki murmured against my hand.

I felt myself soften. "My Misaki is so sure of himself, he would be wise not be too confident."

"Sage advice, milady. I will take it to heart." She grinned and put our hands down to turn back to watch the passing scenery.

I gave her hand a squeeze. Somehow she knew that I was nervous and sought to soothe me. Well, it worked because she reminded me that I was not alone in facing down my parents. The rest of the trip was held in comfortable silence.

Natsuki let out a whistle upon taking Fujino Manor. It was an eclectic blend of modern and traditional Japanese architecture. We couldn't see the large Japanese style garden that made up the back yard, but the large sakura trees that lined the driveway were impressive enough. When we reached the door, I silently kept Natsuki from pushing her door open as a small battalion of servants rushed about their busy way. Once I got out of the car, everyone stopped and performed simultaneous bows.

Turning to the head steward, I said. "Thank you Kuro-san. Please bring Misaki-kun's things to his room. However, there is no need to unpack. He has items in his bags that are necessary for his job and can potentially be dangerous if not handled properly."

If he was surprised by this revelation, he didn't show it. "Yes, Oujo-sama. I'll see to the young master's things myself." He said with the proper bow.

"Again, my thanks." I turned to Natsuki, effectively dismissing him, and chuckled as she stared unabashedly at all the hustle and bustle around her. "Misaki? Come on. My parents are waiting for us."

We reached the sitting room where my mother and father were sitting in comfortable silence. My mother looked like me except her hair was a dark chestnut and her eyes a deep mahogany. She was petite, and had the fragile beauty of a proper Japanese lady. I got my height from my father, who was a solid six feet tall. He was the epitome of a suave Japanese business man, with slicked black hair, sharp black eyes and had gone a little soft in the belly from too much drinking.

I bowed, saying, "Hello, mother. Father."

Natsuki had stopped the proper distance behind me and silently bowed with me. She may not be comfortable with the language, but someone taught her proper etiquette.

"Ara, is this the Misaki Kruger-kun I have heard so much about?" My mother stood and floated over to circle Natsuki. She spoke English with a heavy Japanese accent. However, it was simply because she was out of practice.

I watched their interaction with amusement. Natsuki took her cue and spoke smoothly in her proud English, "Yes ma'am. It is a pleasure to meet you." When Mother had circled to face Natsuki again, she pinned her with her intense stare. "If I may say so, I can see where your daughter gets her beauty and grace."

I grimaced as my father shot out of his chair. "Young man -"

"Oh hush darling. I can handle myself." My mother gestured impatiently at my father. "And you sir, are too bold by half." She smiled up at Natsuki. "However, I can see that it was no empty flattery, you have nice honest eyes."

Natsuki bowed and said, "I thank you Mrs. Fujino."

My father scowled, and spoke up. "Kruger-kun, you may have charmed my daughter and wife with your looks and compliments. I however will warn you: Stay away from my daughter and do your job."

I watched as Natsuki, instead of being cowed by my father's size, narrowed her eyes at him. She opened her mouth and I quickly stepped in front of her, facing my father. "Father, I do not appreciate that you assume the worst in him simply because he is not from a well-respected Japanese family. I did not put myself at risk so you could push your elitist views on the Diet."

My mother gasped behind me. "Is it true? You really have been stalked?" I closed my eyes.

"Yes! That's why my team and I were called in. Mrs. Fujino, did you know that your daughter was almost raped? And that very same person attacked me because I had become close to Miss Fujino." I turned to find Natsuki brandishing her wounded arm in front of her like a weapon. My mother had gone pale and she was shaking.

"I-I don't know what to say. I thought that you had a minor problem with an over exuberant fan. That person didn't cause any lasting harm, yes?" Mother had fallen gracefully into Natsuki's arms and she guided her to her seat.

"It is because you flaunt yourself at that job of yours!" Father was determined to find fault with my actions.

Silently, Natsuki flowed quickly to my father's position and stood in front of him, her predatory grace making her seem larger than what she is. "Sir, I would advise that you take that back. Your daughter was put into that position because of your ambitions and her willingness to help. Do not blame her for something that you brought down on her! Your team of idiots put her into more danger because they couldn't keep their paws off her instead of doing their jobs!" Natsuki's voice dropped into a low, rough growl.

Father backed away and picked up a paper from the coffee table, shoving it into Natsuki's face. "You, puppy, cannot say that you could keep your… paws off her. How is this any different?"

I stepped up to Natsuki and wrapped an arm around hers. "Father, do not accuse him of doing something wrong, because I wanted him to kiss me. The guards, with the exception of Kaito-kun and Shinichiro-kun, _you _hired sexually harassed me at every turn!"

"But I… Shizuru…"

"No! You may be upset with me for kissing Misaki in public. But you do not have the right to tell me to whom I should give my affections!" I spoke softly, the venom evident in my voice. Even though I was an adult, I was taught to speak courteously to my elders, no matter how upset I was with them.

"Ara! Shizuru, your point has been made. However, you have forgotten that you still have a suitor to entertain." Mother spoke calmly from the couch.

Spinning to face her and letting go of Natsuki, I said with heat still in my voice. "I shall entertain him, mother, but that does not mean I will accept him."

Natsuki had gone deathly silent at our exchange. I had learned throughout our relationship that when she was truly angry she would do that, and she can turn feral. Quickly grasping her face and forcing her to look into my eyes I spoke in my most soothing voice. "Misaki, do not worry about me, I can handle the swain." Seeing the tension flow from her face I spoke again. "I believe that the young suitor is here, and my parents are going to parade him in front of you. Please do not lose your temper." Seeing the protest in her eyes, I shook my head slightly.

The spell was broken by my mother. "Well, since you have already figured us out, we may as well bring in the young man." I tore my hands away from Natsuki and stepped away from her, positioning myself between my father and her. "You seem to have a strange effect on your young bodyguard, Shizuru. I am impressed." Now was not the time for my mother's inappropriate comments. I shot her a glare.

"Alright. Let's bring in your potential husband." My father opened a side door and spoke to a young maid.

My suitor must have been waiting for the summons because he didn't take long to step into the room. When he did, I gasped and put a hand to my mouth. I felt utterly betrayed. It was Takeda Masashi, the very same man who I was to marry in my first arranged marriage. I had no feelings for the man. However, I had been fully prepared to go through with the marriage. That is until I found him in the girls' locker room, having sex with the captain of the women's kendo club.

"No. No! You seriously cannot believe that I would accept him!" I had switched back into Japanese, knowing that Takeda had no English in him at all.

"Shizuru, darling. Please be reasonable. He made a mistake in the past and is willing to work with you…" My mother tried to reason.

"No! Mother! He had sex with someone else while we were engaged and when I called it off, I was blamed! Me!" I said furiously jabbing at my chest with my finger. "Tell me mother, why was I condemned?" When she had no answer, I whirled to my father. "Father? Is it because I am too beautiful? Too haughty? Too popular? The color of my eyes?" I fired off more questions at my bewildered parents.

Takeda chose this moment to speak up. "I am sorry -"

I marched right up to Takeda, narrowing my eyes at him and stabbing at his chest with my finger. "You have no right to speak to me, Takeda Masashi-sama. After the engagement was called off, you never bothered to take the ridicule yourself. You slunk into the background while I had to deal with the stares and the whispers. Coward. I was loyal and dutiful and yet I was punished for it. I will not marry you, nor will I accept an apology from you. The damage has already been done." I had lowered my voice to a deadly whisper.

I glared at my parents and Takeda in turn. "The only person in this room who has been loyal to me or hasn't treated me like an object to be bartered with has been Misaki. Now, I am tired and wish to retire." I made my escape with as much dignity as I could muster.

Reaching the door, I heard Takeda say something that I could not hear. Then there was a loud crack and my mother screamed. I whirled around and found Natsuki standing over a prone Takeda, rubbing her knuckles.

I rushed back to Natsuki, taking her scraped hand in my own. "Misaki, are you alright?" She nodded silently.

"I was merely protecting milady's honor." She said quietly, the natural color of her eyes bleeding out the blue of the contacts.

"What honor?" Takeda uttered from the floor. Natsuki's eyes sharped into glittering slits and she rushed Takeda, who had pushed into a seated position, with one of her knives in her hand.

"She has more grace and humility in her than most people could ever have. Do not ever call into question her honor, you filthy bastard. Not you." She snarled, as she shoved him down and rammed the blade of her knife into the hardwood floor of the room so close to his ear that he winced.

"Misaki!" Natsuki whipped her head around to face me. Her anger faded to shame as she realized that she went back on her promise. Yanking the knife out of the floor, spinning to her feet and re-sheathing her knife in one fluid motion, she stepped back to me. I broke eye contact to find my parents staring at my raven haired bodyguard. My father was shocked. My mother was looking at her with a touch of admiration.

"Noriyuki-san. Where can I get me one of those?" Mother spoke with amusement, indicating Natsuki with a nod in her direction. I rolled my eyes. Mother was truly amazing at compartmentalizing.

"Mother! Misaki is not a toy!" She waggled her eyebrows at me as I held out my hand for Natsuki.

"Noriko, leave the young pup be. I do not think it wise to allow him into the party though. Shizuru - you must leave him behind, Takeda will be your escort." I jerked my gaze to my father. After all that and he still insisted that Takeda come with me. Opening my mouth to speak up, I was cut off by my father raising his hand in a placating gesture. "Please, Shizuru-chan. We will discuss this after the party, but bear with it until then."

I shot one last disgusted look at Takeda before guiding Natsuki out of the sitting room.

* * *

The night of the party loomed and I was just putting the finishing touches on my mask - I was to be a Kitsune - when a knock at my bedroom door startled me. Standing and brushing down my tight dress, I padded over and opened it. Natsuki was standing there, dressed in casual Misaki gear.

She and I rarely had the chance to talk over the past week, since my parents made it their mission to keep us apart. They even assigned Kuro-san as her chaperone. Often, while I was at meetings or helping mother in the ballroom, I would see Natsuki wandering around the grounds with Kuro-san shadowing her every move. Today, it seems, Natsuki had slipped out of Kuro's watchful gaze.

Running her gaze from my face to my toes and snapping back up again, she grinned. "Um, so how'd you get in there, jump?"

I blushed and smacked her shoulder. "Ikezu, Misaki. You could have said something more complimentary."

She shrugged. "You're beautiful no matter what you wear. But I do have to concede that lavender and vanilla wrapped around you is extremely sexy."

I chuckled and gestured her into my room. "You're lucky I like you so much, my Misaki." I said jokingly while closing the door.

She lazily slouched on my bed and studied the fox mask that I was going to wear to the Masque. "You know, a fox fairy suits you perfectly. I am sorry that I won't be able to go to the party with you seeing as Takeda is the second best option."

I didn't need to point out that if she hadn't gone after Takeda the way she did, she and I were going to the Masque together. Instead I sat on the bed and leaned into her. "I wish I could stay here with you. Whenever I am at these parties, I feel like I am put on display. A doll that has no soul, its only purpose is to look pretty and posed in whatever position that suits her owners' whims."

Natsuki pulled away and gazed into my eyes. "Do you remember what I said when we first met?"

I nodded, that encounter was seared into my memory. Suddenly, a huge red maple leaf flashed in front of my face, obscuring Natsuki's face. "Well, I decided to see if I could find a maple leaf that would match your eyes. This was the closest thing I could find. Funny thing is it's not as vivid." Slowly the leaf spun in her fingers. "I finally realized why. It's dead, and has no soul. Your eyes shine so brightly that it hurts to look at times."

Okay, Natsuki officially has the strangest ways of expressing her feelings. That's one of the things that make Natsuki unique. I am finally learning to read between the lines. "Natsuki." I breathed.

She brightened, smiling brilliantly. "I love it when you say my name. Misaki has a different ring to it."

I threw my hands around her neck and hugged her tightly. "Thank you, my Natsuki." I whispered into her ear. She heaved a contented sigh and held me. It was probably not very healthy that I depended on her kindness so much, but right now it was enough to know that I finally had someone who was there for me and not the plethora of things that I represented.

She gave me a solid nod, "I gotta go. Old Kuro is probably having a fit by now. You look great. They won't know what to do with you. Have fun, Zuru." She leaned in and gave me a short fiery kiss before pulling away with a satisfied grin on her face.

I pushed her away, swatting at her back as she got up. "Go, go. Please don't torment poor Kuro-san any further." She shot me a mischievous look over her shoulder as she slipped out the door. Smiling uncontrollably, I grabbed my fox mask and secured it snuggly over my face. It was molded to fit the planes of my face so it didn't need a strap, just a push at the temples and cheeks were enough to force the padding into place. I gave my curls one last shake before spinning on my heels to face the masses.

* * *

The evening was in full swing and over a hundred people packed themselves in the Fujino Manor ballroom. Masks, tangible and intangible, were worn to perfection. After detaching myself from Takeda, I found a spot on the wall across the dance floor from the orchestra.

The Masque was Renaissance themed, so partygoers dressed in either authentic period wear or modern interpretations. I was of the latter group, my lavender gown was tight at the top, and was scandalously strapless. At my waist, it flowed to pool about my ankles, a vanilla colored sash belted around my hips with its tails following the lines of the front of my dress. Instead of the famous belled sleeves that start at my shoulders, I wore cuffs of silver on my upper arms that had lavender silk attached to them, the fabric tight at the top and belling out into elegant waves at the elbow. My mask was painted to match my dress. It had swirls of silver, lavender, whites and just a hint of gold around the eyeholes.

I was growing bored rather quickly. A gaggle of young men had followed me to my spot on the wall and I was forced to make small talk with the preening peacocks. They were delightful at first, but they never bothered to ask about me as each one was attempting to outdo his rival with tales bolstering his image.

"My lords, I do believe that one of you should ask milady kitsune to dance. She may decide to disappear." A familiar voice interrupted the flock.

A couple of the men turned with sneers on their lips to the newcomer. There was Natsuki, looking out of place dressed as a rogue, complete with a mask shaped like a wolf. Her bearing was as proud as any of the young men, giving her the air of a noble thief. Her tight leather pants disappeared under a pair of soft brown calf length boots. A dark brown leather tunic was worn over an artfully baggy white undershirt and the tunic was belted off low on her hips. A floppy feathered hat covered her hair and emphasized the large wolf ears of her mask. The mask was painted in subtle earthy tones that only served to bring out the distinct colors of her eyes. The mask covered most of her face, coming low over her cheeks showing off her pink lips and generous mouth and strong chin. In short the overall effect was devastating.

One of the young men, dressed as a minor noble asked imperiously. "Who are you, sir?"

Natsuki looked the man over in mild disinterest and spoke in a bored tone. "My lord, I do not need to give you my name. But I do have to ask: why haven't you asked the fair lady to dance? Are you afraid she will trick you?"

I had to stifle a giggle, Natsuki was in full form. Despite her American accent, she was fluent enough in Japanese to show off her unique way of speaking. She raked her gaze around the group before fixing on me.

"Ookami-sama, I would never think of tricking these young men. It would not be much fun." The musical quality of my voice washed over the group.

Natsuki shot me a wolfish grin and opened her mouth. Mother saved the young men from further embarrassment by stepping in. "Oh my! I knew someone was out of place. It seems like a wolf has wandered in from the wilderness."

Natsuki performed a perfect bow sweeping her hat off her head. "Forgive me, Lady. I could not help myself. I shall be careful to keep my fangs to myself." She pulled herself straight but kept her hat politely in her hand.

My mother's eyes twinkled behind her mask. "I shall hold you to it, sir wolf."

"Then as a way to show my gratitude, I wish to ask you for this next dance." Natsuki bowed again, this time not as deeply, her hat pressed against her heart.

"Ara! So bold! Then I must accept." She held out her hand and Natsuki gently took it and guided it to the crook of her elbow after sweeping her hat back on her head. They turned to head to the floor. Mother stopped and glared at the young men in the group. "That, gentleman is how you treat a lady. You would do well to remember it." They looked at her in shock. I opened my fan to hide my smile.

As they walked off, Natsuki turned her head and mouthed a "Sorry". I gave her a slight nod. She was trying to get into my mother's good graces after the incident with Takeda. Suddenly a number of the young men crowded me with offers to dance.

Giving them all a curtsey, I said with a hint of regret. "Forgive me, gentlemen but I am afraid that I had already promised my first dance to another." With my chin held high I glided over to the refreshments. Every once in a while, Natsuki and mother would flash into view. I made a mental note to ask her where she learned to dance, because she was surprisingly graceful. I expected her to be a little stiff, but she waltzed like she did just about everything else.

Something touched my back and I whirled to face the person who did so. A pair of slanted grey eyes looked up into my face and I stifled a gasp. "Tomoe!" I had forgotten that the Marguerites would have been invited here.

"Oneesama. You look radiant tonight." Tomoe inched closer and I tried to take a step back but ran into the solid chest of a very large man. I glanced at the dance floor in dismay, searching for Natsuki. Tomoe noticed and hissed, "Do not think to call your rabid animal, Shizuru oneesama. If you do, my people will not hesitate to put it down."

Images of Natsuki falling into my arms and passing out in my tub in Shinjuku flashed through me. "What do you want Tomoe?" I asked quietly.

Tomoe affected a hurt expression. "Why I wanted to talk to you. Please follow me." She turned her back to me and I was forced to follow her by the living wall.

We reached a room that was fairly secluded. Only a small number of large men were casually hanging around the hall around it. When Tomoe opened the door, I stiffened against my capture. It was dark with the only light coming from a number of candles centered on a coffee table. We had just walked into one of the small waiting rooms that surrounded the ballroom. Somehow I couldn't shake the feeling that I was a sacrifice for some unknown god.

I was forced to sit in one of the couches but wasn't tied up. I couldn't tell if that was a good or a bad thing. Tomoe began pacing as the guard left the room and I wished that my wall was still here.

"So, Shizuru-oneesama, what is going on between you and the dog?" Tomoe suddenly asked. I sat up straighter, knowing that she had seen the picture. Perhaps she had planned this kidnapping since then.

"Ara, I am not sure that it is your business, Tomoe-chan." I said automatically.

That was the wrong thing to say because my mask was ripped off my face and Tomoe rolled it in her fingers as though it was normal to forcibly remove things off of people's faces. "Why, because you love me, I wouldn't want to know that you are cheating one me." Her tone was innocently calm.

"Tomoe, I do not love you. How can I? I don't even know you." I said calmly.

That set Tomoe off; she let out a little shriek and threw the mask away. She pounced on me and grabbed a fist full of hair. A knife appeared in her hand and my eyes widened in recognition. How had Tomoe gotten a hold of one of Natsuki's knives? "Perhaps it isn't that dog but the biker that holds your affections? Perhaps both? You little slut." She whispered. "It doesn't matter because I will make you mine."

Slowly, the knife trailed down my neck. Goosebumps formed in its wake. I dared not move because I didn't know what she was going to do. The knife reached the fabric of my gown and began to cut through the thin cloth, revealing the skin between my breasts. "Tomoe, please stop this. I do not want this." I asked searching her face.

Only lust and crazed delusions were in her eyes. "Yes, you do. I will make you feel things that the wolf could never make you feel." She said, watching the knife reveal more skin as it destroyed my dress.

Suddenly, there were shouts in the hall and some crashing sounds. Something heavy slammed into the door hard enough to make the pictures on the wall rattle. Then the door buckled and fell, a man landing on it with a grunt. Natsuki flew into the room, and backed against the wall facing the now open mouth of the door. At some point her mask had disappeared and I could see that her pale face was set in calm determination.

Tomoe let out a frustrated shriek and plunged the knife into the cushions of the couch, grabbing my hands and pushing them over my head with one hand as she pinned them to the couch with her weight. _No!_ Suddenly my body reacted to the familiar terrified position I was put in before. I struggled against Tomoe even as she ripped at my tattered dress.

Then something black shot past my face and drove into Tomoe's mask. Letting go of me to sit back on my thighs, Tomoe released a keening wail. She ripped off the mask and I felt blood spatter across my chest and cover my face.

"My face! You fucking mongrel! You cut my face!" She pressed a hand to her cut and turned to watch as Natsuki dealt with the rest of her goon squad. Unconscious bodies of men were strewn about the room, but Natsuki had been cornered by the last two goons.

They had her between them, trying to pin her to the floor. She fought furiously and then stopped suddenly pulled back and shot two quick kicks to the sides of her captures' knees. One of the men let go of her hand and that was enough, because she pulled out a knife and drove it into the meaty part of the other man's leg. His shrieks of pain were cut off by Natsuki when she pulled the knife out and jabbed him in the throat with the butt. The other man received an elbow to the temple shortly after.

Slowly, she moved toward us, blood dripping from her face. I gasped when I noticed that she was limping. "Get off her, Tomoe. I will not hesitate to kill you if you harm her." She spoke in a quiet growl. She was not bluffing.

Tomoe must have realized this because she whipped something out from behind her and pointed it at Natsuki. "She is mine! You cannot have her."

Natsuki shook her head, still advancing. "I make no claim on her. No one can, really. However, I am hers."

I gasped. There was so much that could be made of those three words.

Tomoe caught on and shrieked. Thin black wiring shot out from the item that Tomoe held, and latched onto Natsuki's chest. It was a Taser. Electricity filled the air and Natsuki silently dropped to her knees, seizing. A blue spark shot from her neck. Her voice alternator had shorted out.

"Misaki!" I jabbed at Tomoe's chin causing her head to snap back. She fell off my legs with a groan and I scrambled off the couch. Stooping to pull the Taser's cords out of Natsuki, I ran over to her and cradled her body against mine. Her muscles were still twitching. Tomoe slunk off, knowing that she was going to be caught if she didn't leave soon. I didn't care though; I showered Natsuki with desperate kisses, as if those would heal her wounds. There was so much blood and this time I had a feeling that most of it was hers.

"Oujo-sama!" I snapped my head up to find a young maid looking at me in horror, her hand covering her mouth.

Before she could question me further I spoke up softly, "Megumi-chan, please call an ambulance. My bodyguard has been severely injured. Also, have Shinichiro-kun and Kaito-kun look for a young woman in a green gown and bleeding from her face." Tomoe may be gone, but it would be good to try.

Megumi was frozen to her spot staring at the state that I was in. "But- Oujo-sama- are you well?"

"Yes. Thank you for asking. I am more concerned about him." I nodded down at Natsuki. "Please hurry-and do so quietly." I did not need to tell her the problems that could arise from this whole mess. She nodded and dashed off to dispatch my orders.

I cast my eyes around the room, taking in the room for the first time. Some of the men that Natsuki knocked out were moaning as they awakened.

A shaking hand rested on my cheek, causing me to pause. "Did she hurt you?" Natsuki's real voice sounded weak and soft. I shook my head against her palm, tears coming to my eyes. Smiling tiredly, she said. "Good. Did you get the number of that bus?"

I chuckled through my tears. "No, dear Natsuki. How are you feeling?" I knew the answer, but I needed her to stay conscious, she may have gotten a concussion.

"Like shit. And Shizuru, for the record I am going to be pissed off at you when I feel better. Don't ever leave me again." Her eyes had gone hard, through the semi haze. She gave me a weak shake. "Got it?"

She watched my face as I gave her a bewildered nod. "Good. Here." She pushed away gently and began to pull off her tunic. I helped when she winced as she lifted her arms above her head. "Please put the tunic on, I don't want people to see all of your treasures."

I looked down at my shredded dress. Almost the entire top had fallen and my belly ring was showing. I pulled the tunic on and giggled, "Natsuki would claim the treasures for herself, yes?"

There was no response. I gave her a shake. "Natsuki?" Her body slumped into mine.

"Natsuki!"

* * *

**AN: I know! Don't hurt me! But I wouldn't mind you guys telling me what you think when you all review. And for those who have and continue to review –Thank you so much! You guys are awesome! Now off to plan for more fairy tale fun!**


	9. Beast Within Beauty

_AN: Wow! Here is another chapter! This baby was a tricky one to write! As always Athena Sampaio Beta'd and any mistakes you see are mine!_

* * *

_Beast Within Beauty_

I was woken by a sharp beeping sound. Every time it pinged, it was punctuated by a spear of pain ringing through my head. Deciding it was too much effort to move, I worked on prying my eye lids open. Light drove into my eyes and I groaned at the sudden pain.

"Can someone turn the sun down? Kinda blinded here." My voice sounded foreign even though it was low and weak. My husk had taken on a scratchy quality almost like I was recovering from a sore throat or cold. It hurt to talk.

My soft request was almost instantly obeyed. The excited voices of my teammates ran quietly around my bed, which I realized was not the most comfortable.

"Mutt, you can open them now." Nao spoke softly. Wow, it was a miracle that Nao spoke like that. Usually if she did, someone was hurt.

Oh, right.

With a lot of effort, I was able to get my eyes open. I whimpered as I took in my surroundings. I hate hospitals. In my experience, people come to this place to die. My roaming gaze settled on my redheaded friend; she was obviously nervous. Seeing as she has had the same experience that I had, I wasn't surprised. I'd smile but my face hurt too much.

"Where am I?" Again that scratchy voice surprised me.

Aoi stepped in and grabbed my hand. Smiling through her tears she said, "You are in Kyoto general hospital. They brought you here after the incident at the party."

"Okay. So how'd I get so beat up?" Then worry flashed through my thoughts and I sat up. Bad idea. The world decided it wanted to tilt and twirl and I fought the growing nausea by flopping back on my bed and closing my eyes. "Where's Shizuru? Is she okay?"

Silence followed my request. Once again I forced my eyes open so I could watch my teammates. Their faces ranged from worried to quiet amusement.

Chie opened her mouth and said with some resignation. "She is exhausted. Her mother practically had her two bodyguards carry her from your side. Shizuru had to keep the others from finding out your identity. Her mother knows, I think, but she hasn't said anything yet."

Just great, now I may have to deal with another Fujino. Hopefully she hasn't told her husband about my little secret.

Luckily the world had decided to stop playing with my head and I was able to focus on the ashy brunette. "So how long was I out?"

They looked at each other and Aoi squeezed my hand before whispering, "Three days."

Well that's not too bad. I sighed and closed my eyes.

"You have a mild to severe concussion. The doctors also said that you were hit by a large electrical current. There's a massive bruise on your thigh. That, I have no idea how the hell you got it, but its effing nasty." Nao said with a bit of admiration in her voice. "Oh, and you shouldn't speak a lot because your voice alternator was shorted and messed with your vocal cords." She added with a small ironic smile, while pointing at her throat.

Chie decided to add to the excellent report, "The docs thought that someone Tased you with it set at the highest level. It could have killed you."

"Yay." I deadpanned.

Nao carried on. "Shizuru doesn't have any physical injures but she went through a hell of a lot. She watched you get Tased and was assaulted." Damn. Whatever happened must have been nasty because Nao stopped using nicknames and was fidgeting.

"Yeah." Chie slapped a folder on my lap. "Those two bodyguards of hers are extremely thorough. I think that we should have them on the team - off the books at least."

Aoi shot her tall girlfriend a look then turned back to me with worried eyes. "Natsuki-chan, you have to rest some more. You are one of the toughest people I know, but that was entirely too reckless, going after so many men like that." Her voice held a gentle chiding tone.

I gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "I don't even remember that, but if Shizuru was involved, then I guess I did good."

"No you didn't." All four of us jumped at the soft voice emanating from the door. It was Mrs. Fujino, looking relieved, angered and saddened at the same time. "How are you feeling Natsuki-kun?"

Crap. I am in so much trouble. My teammates decided that it would be better for them to bail so I was left alone with a very upset millionaire's wife.

A quiet click shut out the rest of the hospital from my room. Mrs. Fujino's eyes ran up and down my prone form.

_Yeah, this is as good as it's going to get. _I thought wryly, while staring back at her. The damn beeping sound was still driving spikes of pain into my head. I waited her out. Somehow I got the sense that if I spoke first, she wouldn't let me anywhere near Shizuru again.

"I see you still have those honest eyes, even if they are such a bright shade of green." She said coolly, while gliding up to sit in the chair that Nao had occupied earlier.

Not really knowing how to respond to that, I simply said, "Thank you." with my damaged voice.

Mrs. Fujino's eyes widened at the sound of my voice. I wasn't surprised seeing as I no longer sounded like Misaki or Natsuki. "My. You sure did a number on yourself. I saw the damage that you and those thugs caused to my guest room. How did you..." She trailed off, gesturing at her throat.

My hand slowly moved up to my own, mimicking hers and found that it was wrapped. I nodded and spoke quietly. "Yeah, I was apparently hit with a Taser. It shorted out the device that helps lower my voice."

Her mahogany eyes narrowed on me. "Do you even remember what you did to those men?"

I let out a short bark of humorless laughter. Fire burned from my throat. Okay maybe that was a bad idea. Swallowing away some of the pain, I replied. "Well, I would usually say that I kicked copious amounts of ass. But seeing as I am here with a head injury and a number of smaller wounds, I'd say that I lost."

Mrs. Fujino quirked a small smile. "Language, Natsuki-kun. You actually did cause a lot of damage before you were done in. When I came upon the scene, the medics were already taking care of you and those brutes that you had fought. The hall was a mess and the waiting room was full of blood and broken furniture."

I grimaced and regretted it as pain shot through my neck. "How is Shizuru?" I asked softly. Not that I could do more than that.

The smile dropped off of Mrs. Fujino's face and her expression darkened. "She is doing as well as anyone can. Since she has returned from the hospital, she has been crying almost constantly." Mrs. Fujino shook her head sadly. "That girl never was one to cry or to show any kind of extreme emotion. I don't know where she developed that horrid mask of hers, but I have never seen her so distraught."

She carried on studying me as though I was an interesting museum piece. I watched her tiredly. "I am sorry for tiring you, but I must say this. She cares for you far more deeply than any of the other people in her life. That includes that Anh Lu from the club. I do not really approve that you and Shizuru are…so close but I know that Shizuru has shown more emotions to me in the past week or so than I have seen since she was a baby."

It was frustrating to not be able to talk to her properly. I wanted to explain why I was dressed up as a man. But I was so tired and my throat was beginning to throb.

Mrs. Fujino must have sensed my discomfort because she slid out of her chair and walked out of my field of vision. When she returned, she held out a cup of water. Shaking hands reached up to grasp at it. She helped guide the cup to my lips and tilted it just enough to get the cool liquid into my mouth. When I was done with the cup, she pulled back and sat into the chair.

"Thank you." I said with a faint whisper.

She smiled and said. "It is difficult to see you in such a weakened state. I much prefer that proud lone wolf who so fiercely protected my daughter and so charmingly gained the upper hand at the masque." She reached out and gave my hand a pat. "Please get well quickly. Shizuru needs you to be better."

I gave her a solemn nod. Really, I should be thanking her for giving birth to such a wonderful person. Shizuru has given me far more than I her.

"Well, then. Natsuki-kun I shall take my leave." Mrs. Fujino stood up and walked to the door. "Rest well, fierce wolf."

Again I gave her a nod and closed my eyes. The last thought that went through my head before I fell asleep was why in the world these people all equated me to a wolf.

* * *

Once again, I woke to the damn beeping from my heart monitor. Maybe I should ask the nurse to take me off the monitor. My head was aching and the rest of my body felt heavy. I still was afraid to move my head too much because I knew that the room would try to mess with my perception. The clean smells of the sterile room was interrupted by the faint scent of lavender. I knew that smell and hoped that the person to whom it belonged to was here.

Gingerly, I moved my head to search for the source of that smell. I found her sitting in one of the chairs situated at the foot of my bed. Her tawny head was resting on her arms as she napped on the corner near my feet.

Moving my legs a little, I spoke into the quiet of the room. "Shizuru?" My damaged voice ripped through the silence.

Shizuru groaned and then brought her head up. Her crimson eyes tiredly watched my face then widened and started to sparkle as she realized that I was awake. Tears started to flow even as she broke into a smile that would put the sun to shame.

"Hey Zuru. I can't talk much but I sure am glad that you are okay. I was worried that I didn't come in time to help you out." This was true, I remember parts of my dance with Mrs. Fujino but I don't remember the conversation. At some point I noticed that Shizuru was gone then everything was a blur of emotions.

Shizuru moved slowly from my feet to stand near my side. Tears were still falling from tired eyes and her face was drawn and pale. Gently placing her hands on my face her soft honey toned voice floated over me. "Welcome back, Natsuki." I gave her a small smile. She leaned in and gave me a light kiss on the lips. When she pulled back her eyes were worried and sad. "Please don't ever leave me like that again."

Wait a minute. Didn't I say something like that to her? I gave her a questioning look and she nodded.

"You did say something like that to me after you beat up all those men and scared Tomoe off." She reported as she moved slowly back to her chair. She kept her hands in front of her body so I couldn't see them. That was odd.

Well that didn't help much. So Tomoe was involved after all. Shizuru allowed me to run my gaze more closely over her body- or at least what I could see of it. I narrowed my eyes at her arms; I still couldn't see her hands.

"Shizuru…" I continued to stare at her arms. "Your hands - can I see them?"

She sighed and said "Natsuki, please don't be upset." Oh, great. You know it's bad when they say don't be upset. She brought her hands up between us and I felt my eyes widen at the sight. Red lines wrapped around her wrists, much like the ones that I had found when she and I first met. I could see angry looking bruises around the red. It looked like she was grabbed and forcibly moved someplace.

Shizuru's eyes hardened into rubies. "Natsuki, I told you not to be upset. It does you no good to be angry about something that is so minor. These are the only injures that I have sustained." She paused and placed her hands on her lap again. "I am amazed that you were able to take so much abuse and yet you are still here. You could have died."

Hold up a second. Was Shizuru angry at me for going after her? I didn't read the report and I don't remember much, but last I checked, I was her bodyguard after all. It is my job to protect her. Besides that, I care about her too damn much. I narrowed my eyes at her and opened my mouth to start arguing with her but she got up to quickly place a finger on my lips.

"I know what you wish to say to me, Natsuki, but I would rather have this argument when you are better. You said that you would be angry with me when you got better. Wait until then. In the meantime, I am so glad that you are awake." The back of her hand stroked at my cheek and despite my anger I shivered at the contact. "Please do not do that to me again. I cannot bear to see you so hurt, my Natsuki." Something desperate flashed behind her eyes, surprising me into nodding.

"Be safe on your way back. I don't like seeing you hurt either." I rasped and flinched.

"I will. Please do listen to the doctor. I want to hear your lovely voice again. That rasp doesn't suit you in the least." She smiled and winked.

I gave her a mock salute. She turned and floated to the door. I watched her nicely shaped rear. At the door, Shizuru stopped. "Ara, Natsuki must be feeling better. But I must remind her that we are in public. She must be quite the brute, watching me with such eyes." The singsong of her voice was laced with humor.

I started and raised my eyes to find Shizuru watching me with a coy little smile gracing her lips. Her eyes were a dark burgundy. Heat flushed to my cheeks and I glanced away. Damn woman must have been waiting for a moment to catch me. I couldn't even defend myself in this condition.

I settled for a mumbled "Can't help but watch. You move so beautifully."

"Ara, I believe that Natsuki is beautiful too." Shizuru breathed into my ear. I jumped and then groaned at the pain the sudden movement caused. The woman is like a freaking ninja.

"Yeah, well, you are so beautiful it hurts." I whispered. I couldn't turn my head that sharply to the side so I settled for burning a brighter red.

I was answered by Shizuru's delighted giggles and a soft kiss to my cheek. "Well, I must concede victory to you this day, dear knight. A lady would never take advantage of her wounded protector."

I rolled my eyes. Shizuru's giggles only grew as she walked sensuously out of the room, knowing full well that I would be watching her. I huffed and tried to cross my arms, but I only had enough strength to lay them in my lap.

Closing my eyes after Shizuru shut the door, I tried to piece together the information that she had given me. Not that she had given me much. Her mother must have mentioned my little memory problem so Shizuru may have left some things out. Obviously, Tomoe was involved. That alone pissed me off. What rankled at me further was that Shizuru had been alone with Tomoe for an unknown amount of time. Guilt gnawed at me; Shizuru was so obviously distressed. Something must have happened and I hadn't been there to stop it. . I almost started to growl at the images that started popping into my head.

I gave myself a mental shake to clear my mind. My imagination and I are going to have a serious conversation once I can move again.

A chipper voice rudely interrupted my thoughts. It was the obnoxiously cheerful nurse. I shot her a glare. "Ara, what has your britches in a twist, Misaki-sama?" The nurse-I think her name is Sachiko- chirped cheerfully as she wrote down her notes.

_Oh, just that the person I am in love with was probably tortured horrendously by a crazy psycho-bitch while I was making nice with her mother-You? _I thought while continuing to glare at the nurse. I had to hand it to her- she didn't even flinch while she took my blood pressure. Guess being essentially incapacitated makes me about as dangerous as a fart in the wind.

Apparently, the hospital hasn't discovered my real name yet. Lucky for me, Youko-sensei linked my medical information to Misaki's incase this happened. It was probably totally illegal, but I never thought that I would have to actually go to the hospital, seeing as Youko-sensei was actually ARTEMIS's doctor. I avoid going to hospitals at all costs, since I despise them and all that. "You done yet?" I irritably asked Nurse Sachiko. "I like my quiet."

She shot me an annoyed glance before saying with forced cheer, "Easy there, killer. I know your type. You all think that you are made of Teflon and the only way you figure out you're made of flesh and bone is if you come here. Usually it's too late by then. When I heard of your injuries and the fact that you were dressed up as a man, I got curious. Then when they said that you had come from the Fujino Manor, well I just had to see you." She was watching me with open curiosity.

Well, I had to defend myself and stop her from staring; she was totally creeping me out. "I am fully aware that I am not made of Teflon. Why I was dressed as a man is none of your business. And for that matter, where I was picked up is not any of your concern either." By the time my little speech was done, my voice was faint and I felt weak.

"Sonova…" The friggin nurse distracted me enough to give me a shot of pain killer.

The nurse made a disapproving noise. "Misaki-kun, you shouldn't swear. Such language is more suited to a beast than the pretty young woman you are."

_What is it with these people here? Kyoto must have something in the water…_ I drifted off to that brilliant thought.

* * *

A week later I was freed of the confines of the hospital and was placed in a prettier cage. Mrs. Fujino offered to open her home to Nao, Chie, Aoi and me on the condition that the others were to train the security personnel. They seriously needed it.

I was once again required to dress as Misaki. The few staff members that were allowed to take care of me were sworn into secrecy. It wasn't surprising that the staff didn't need to be threatened. They just cared for the sharp witted mother and daughter team that much. Especially Shizuru. When I asked one of the maids about the 'incident'- as they like to call it- she refused to answer my questions even though I was one of the participants.

My leg and a number of the small cuts and abrasions that I had sustained were starting to heal. I was able to walk around the wing of the mansion where my room was as long as I had someone with me to watch over me. My concussion symptoms had lessened but I still had issues with nausea and dizziness. My memory was still fuzzy but I had read and re-read the report and I was not pleased. Shizuru still refused to talk to me about her involvement, further pissing me off.

I was pacing around my large room as Nao was lazily slouched in the pretty rocking chair that occupied a small part of the far wall.

"Look, you shouldn't get yourself so worked up about the situation." Nao's voice was smooth and reasonable.

I stopped and glared at her. "Yeah right, Nao. I can't remember shit and the person I am protecting is scared and has signs of abuse on her wrists. Oh and I could barely move for two freaking weeks because I was hit with a high powered Taser. Remind me why I shouldn't get worked up?" My vocal cords were healing but I still was raspy and my voice had an embarrassing tendency to crack. Chie and Nao thought it was hilarious.

"Well, the Fox is scared, but I think for different reasons than what you are thinking of. But she is safe and from what I have heard, you gave that bitch Tomoe a nice little cut to her face. Her mother is taking the manor's security more seriously and she knows about Tomoe's antics thanks to the little chat that she had with Chie and Aoi." Nao shrugged. "You've been hurt worse, but the way that your voice box was messed up still blows my mind."

"But, she was hurt under my care. You know that Tomoe's one of the worst stalkers that we've had to deal with. I feel like she is always one step ahead of us. To be honest, I don't know if I can protect Shizuru anymore."

Nao's lime green eyes widened. "Look, mutt, Shizuru attracts these people to her simply because of who she is. If it wasn't Tomoe, someone else would there. As long as she stays in the spotlight, whether she is on TV or on campus, she is gonna be vulnerable. You know that the incidents at the club have gone down once they realized that Shizuru had a personal bodyguard that would mess them up if they so much as looked at her wrong."

I sighed and slumped on the edge of my bed, facing her. And there was the problem. I was far too emotionally attached to Shizuru to even do my job. That was the reason why I was so reckless when I saved her during the Masque. The report said that I had busted a man's throat and stabbed him too. I broke another man's wrist and popped another's knee out of whack. The whole scene was a mess which is totally unlike how I work. Besides that, I didn't even call for back up - again very uncharacteristic and reckless. I must have been so angry and scared that I needed to get to Shizuru as fast as I could and I went into a berserker state. I call it my Beast, but Aunt Koika always referred to it as a manifestation of all of my anxieties. It is triggered by a deep need to protect those that are closest to me. Hell, I fought a pair of boys in high school who outweighed me by a combined one hundred pounds because they had bad mouthed my aunts. I was proud that I beat the crap out of the boys until my aunts picked me up from school. It was the only time that we had ever had a full on screaming match.

"Yeah, but I can't protect someone who keeps volunteering to be hurt." I said bitterly as I gingerly started to work on stretching out my sore limbs.

"Ara, I do not volunteer." Nao jumped and swore under her breath. I whipped around to find Shizuru leaning against my door frame with her arms crossed. Even though she had adopted her pleasant mask, her eyes had narrowed angrily at me. She uncrossed her arms and marched her way up to my bed then stood in front of me with her hands on her hips. "That is a talent that you seem to have, Natsuki."

Nao snorted her agreement and I glared at her from around Shizuru. Nao stuck out her tongue and then hopped up. "Well, Fox, I trust that you will take care of your loyal masochist."

"I will do my utmost. She sorely pushes my patience at times." Her tone had gone deadly soft and her accent was becoming more pronounced.

"Hey! I am not a masochist." I watched in horror as Nao lithely rose from her chair to make her way towards my bedroom door.

Shizuru noticed even though she hadn't moved a muscle. "Nao-chan, would you be so kind as to shut the door behind you and ask that none of the servants disturb us?" Nao waved her acknowledgement and I shot my gaze up to Shizuru's face. She was eyeing Nao walk out the door. It clicked shut.

I heard the smack of skin slapping skin before I felt it. My hand lifted to my cheek where Shizuru slapped me. It was hot and then began to sting. "What the hell. Shizuru?"

"You…You..." She was shaking and I could see her jaw clenching. "You idiot! How dare you think that I went after Tomoe then got caught! You don't even remember what happened did you?"

I stood up. "Shizuru, I know from the report that your bodyguards gave me you voluntarily went with Tomoe! What I am supposed to think after you asked to be on the team a week before we got here? Do you honestly believe that you can take on Tomoe by yourself? If you do then you are not as smart as I thought you were."

We were standing inches apart. Literally toe to toe and nose to nose. Shizuru's eyes flashed in surprise then hurt, fear and anger flooded back into the crimson irises. "I _did not_ go voluntarily with Tomoe. She gave me an ultimatum that I could not refuse. I had to or -" She choked back tears and glanced away.

I pressed her for more information. I wanted to know _why_ and it was pissing me off that she refused to speak of it. "So you went along like some little sacrificial lamb. Did your ploy work?" I sneered.

Shizuru gasped and turned wide eyes at me. "That was cruel and thoughtless, Natsuki. I chose not to say what happened because it hurts too much and it scared me. I want to be on the team so I can help, Natsuki, not join you and your capable friends in hunting them down."

I snorted. _You did a great job helping there, Zuru. _

I was too upset with her inability to understand. If Tomoe had actually taken her off the grounds, Shizuru might have ended up dead. I couldn't just come out and say "I love you and I want you to stay away from all the crazy people in the world." Of course when I can't get my emotions out the way I want, I almost always end up using the most familiar: Anger.

"I am tired of telling you to keep your head up. You know as well as I do that Tomoe and her gang of crazies is lurking everywhere."

She went rigid. "Natsuki, shut-up. You have no idea what I had endured! Do you know that I watched you, battered and beaten, get electrocuted? These," She raised her hands up between us. "Are a result of Tomoe pulling my arms up over my head and squeezing them together as she tried to rape me. Your vocal cords were damaged! You have a severe concussion! You were bleeding everywhere and yet you still came after us. Don't you know when to stop?" She almost pleaded with me.

Suddenly, I remembered something. "You were pinned by Tomoe and I threw a knife at her. She was hit in the face, and her mask was broken." I said faintly.

"Yes, Natsuki. Right after that, you took out the last two guards and you stepped towards us. Tomoe claimed me and you said that I couldn't be claimed by anyone." Shizuru spoke bitterly.

I nodded, agreeing with her. Another piece fell into place. I hissed. "You were half naked under her, weren't you?"

"Natsuki…"

"Answer me! Please! Did she do anything else to you?" I was desperate and scared.

To my dismay, Shizuru shook her head and said quietly, "I am done speaking of this. You cannot have me put the missing pieces of your memory back in place. That is your task alone."

"Shizuru…"

"No!" I started at the sound of Shizuru's voice cracking across the room. She carried on in her hypnotic voice. "No, Natsuki. Like I said, I do not like speaking of it and I am too upset with you to think properly. You need to rest; we are going back to Fuuka tomorrow."

I sighed, I was too angry with her for not even explaining her actions to me. I might say something else that I might regret. "Go on. All this fighting is tiring me out."

She nodded and walked slowly to the door. She paused at the door, turning back as though she was going to add something. Shaking her head a little, she pulled the door open and slid out, shutting it with a final click.

* * *

It was the middle of November and I was up to my ears in term papers. In order to explain my injuries, the school was told that I had been in a motorcycle accident. The helmet that I was wearing partially crushed my throat, causing damage to my vocal cords.

One of the upsides was that the professors didn't bother asking me questions because I still felt pain when I projected my voice. One of the downsides was that Shizuru left me alone most of the time now and Takeda made it a point to become my book bitch. I made it a point to ask him about the black eye that he was sporting. He claimed he had gotten it from a particularly nasty kendo bout.

Today, Takeda was walking me up to the college's train station. I refused to talk to the bastard even if he was useful. Normally, I'd tell him off but I still had nasty symptoms from the concussion. Some days I would have skull splitting migraines. On other days, I would simply blackout.

Takeda cleared his throat nervously. "So how does your head feel, Natsuki-san?"

I bit back a sarcastic remark and said as nicely as I could, "I still feel like…Oh." I reached out blindly as the world began to tilt.

Takeda, who was used to my sudden bouts of vertigo, grabbed my arm to steady me and placed a hand over my eyes as he led me over to a bench. Unfortunately, I had to squeeze my eyes shut when Takeda took his hand off my face until the symptoms stop. He sat me down then let me have my space. He learned the hard way that even a Natsuki with vertigo could still find his balls if he did something that I didn't like.

"Look, I-I know you don't like me that much, but I think that I should drive you home today." Takeda's nervous voice sounded off above me.

I groaned in response. My damn head was spinning and the moron was trying to use this to his advantage. I couldn't ask any of my friends for the help, especially Mai. She is a mother hen type of the worst sort and every time I've been around her, she's treated me like I'm about to break. Of course, if Shizuru and I were not fighting, she would act as my nurse maid which was totally fine in my books. The last time I was hurt she was good at giving me my space. Takeda was really the most convenient to have around, even if I thought he was a bastard.

"Ara, has Natsuki suffered from another bout of Takeda?" I almost laughed. Shizuru really never spoke of what happened after she called off the wedding. All I know is that because Shizuru herself called off the wedding - which totally messed with proper society's sense of propriety - she essentially committed social suicide. While I know that she doesn't really care much about what people thought of her, it damaged her family's reputation along with her own. It blows my mind the double standards that are still held today.

Takeda growled something not too complementary and I spoke up, "Now, now Takeda. You really shouldn't be so impolite in front of a lady."

Takeda shuffled around and said softly, "Sorry, Natsuki-san."

I let out a bitter laugh. "Who said that I was the lady you need to apologize to, huh? Cause last time I checked, I definitely am not a lady." Yeah, Shizuru and I were still fighting a cold war, but I still hated what Takeda had done to her more.

Shizuru's silvery giggles tickled at my ear. No matter how mad I was at her, I could not deny that I absolutely loved the sound of Shizuru's voice.

"You know what? I'll leave you two ladies alone then? Natsuki-san, I'll see you in front of the station tomorrow?" Takeda's voice was hopeful.

"Yeah, yeah. Go on." I said while waving an impatient hand at where I thought he was.

Suddenly, a meaty hand grabbed mine and I felt rough lips brush the back of my hand. Shizuru sucked in a breath and I growled. "Takeda, you are damn lucky that I am currently trying to make my head stop thinking that I am in a fun house. Do not ever do that again." I put steel behind my healing voice.

A soft hand rested on my shoulder, and Shizuru's honey toned voice had become dangerously intimate. "Yes, Takeda-kun, I also believe that you should go now. You can leave Natsuki to me."

Takeda huffed and I could hear his heavy footsteps slapping the pavement as he hurried off. As soon as he left, Shizuru's hand left my shoulder. I missed the contact but didn't say anything as I heard her rustle around in her bag. Keys jangled then were silenced as she fisted them. It was one her habits that I approved of; keys could be nasty weapons if used correctly.

Shizuru made a soft huffing noise and murmured, "Natsuki. I know this isn't my place but I do not like you walking around the school with that man. He is far too devious to be trusted."

"Look, I'm only letting him carry my books around so Mai doesn't have to come from the English Department. He's useful and dumber than a stack of bricks. You gotta trust me here."

Shizuru's bitter laugh sounded from my right side. "Oh I do trust you. It is that man that I do not trust." Her voice held an old sadness.

I did not want to argue right now. "So, um Zuru, how are you going to assist me? I kinda am blind here until the vertigo stops."

Shizuru continued to rummage about as she spoke softly, "I will drive you back. I am parked not too far from here."

"Oh goodie. I call shottie. I have always wanted to ride in a fancy pants luxury vehicle." I said sarcastically.

Shizuru made an annoyed sound. "You are lucky I like you so much and that you are injured. I would leave you in a heartbeat if you didn't look so much like an abandoned puppy."

I huffed and said, "You are the one who likes to think of me as some sort of wolf." There was no response, so I spoke up again. "Zuru? Hello!" Once again I received no response.

I sat back. This was probably one of Shizuru's ways of punishing me. We really haven't spoken to each other since the blowup in my room in Kyoto. The few times that we have directly spoken with each other have dissolved into petty arguments. Nao, being her usual self, decided to take bets on who would win the fights. Everyone thought it was hilarious to watch the two of us in a verbal smack down.

Before long, the powerful engine of Shizuru's fancy Lexus roared to a stop. The door popped open and I could hear Shizuru clack her way back to my position.

"How the hell did you manage to stay so quiet when you are wearing noise makers?" I asked incredulously.

"I took them off. Now come on, I don't have all day." Shizuru grabbed my hands and hauled me to my feet. Then she put an arm around my waist to steady me. A small part of me sighed in contentment. That arm felt so right.

I shook her arm off saying, "I'm okay, just get me to the car."

Shizuru opted to grip my forearm to guide me to her car. "We have got to work on your trust issues."

"I have no problem trusting you. For instance, I trust that you'll get yourself into trouble." I said sarcastically.

Shizuru sighed. "Did anyone tell you that you are ridiculously insufferable at times?" She sounded tired and I felt a ping of guilt. I can be a little snippy when I feel so vulnerable. This is the first time that I have had to deal with so many different injuries at the same time. Relying on others is totally not my thing.

"Yeah, but usually Nao is the one who points it out to me. I don't know if that counts." I said with a bit of wry humor in my voice.

Shizuru chuckled a little and stopped me with a little pressure on my arm. "Hang on - I have to open the door." Sounds of the door clicking open sounded off to my right and I put out my right hand to lean on the back end of the car. Shizuru came back over and touched my arm. "I am going to put a hand on your head so you don't accidently hit it."

I let her move me around so I could settle myself into the nice comfy seat of the car. She shut the door and a couple seconds later I heard her get into the car and start it.

"Oh, purrs like a kitten, doesn't it?" I commented even though I wished I could open my eyes to check out the inside of the car. Shizuru was silent. The car began to move and I fought with my discomfort. Trying to ride in a car while not being able to watch your surroundings is highly disorienting. The ride was mercifully short.

When we stopped, Shizuru asked quietly, "Do you need a minute?"

I growled and felt for the door handle. Finding it and shoving the door open, I stepped out and felt my way to the back of the car. Well, that's about as far as I am going to get. I heard the car door open and close and rapid footsteps approach me.

"Ara, so rash. Perhaps Natsuki should not be so hasty." Shizuru chided. I grumbled as she led me up the stairs to my apartment door.

She let me open the door and I went through my usual routine of pulling off my footwear. Shizuru was a little quicker and I heard her feet pad into the living room. I slowly felt my way over to my couch. I hit the cushions with a sigh and laid down into the cozy softness. Shizuru was clattering her way around the kitchen.

I must have fallen asleep because I was startled into opening my eyes by simultaneous exclamations of "Who are you?"

Then Shizuru said coolly, "I am Fujino Shizuru, Natsuki's friend."

"Oh, Natsuki-chan has nothing but good things to say about you! I am Kruger Koika. It's a pleasure to meet you!" My aunt's cheerful husk made me look towards the door. Well, okay so how the hell did she get here?

"Natsuki, I see you are in good hands. I shall take my leave, now. Kruger-san it is a pleasure but I really must be off." Shizuru responded icily.

"Where is she?"

I raised a hand and said, "Here, Koko."

There was a little gasp and suddenly, Koika's hands were patting at my face and shoulders. "What did you do to yourself now?"

"Koko, can you make sure that Shizuru gets to the door?" I groaned out. I tried to bat away her hands.

I heard Shizuru huff from above my head, "There is no need Natsuki. I will leave you to your friend." The low intimate tones of her voice hinted at her irritability.

Oh boy she is mad. Why? I have no clue. I mulled it over as I listened to her make her exit. Suddenly, just as the door clicked shut, everything fell into place. Shizuru was jealous of my aunt. It doesn't help that Koika, who is thirty five, looks like a twenty five year old beauty queen.

Sitting up and wincing, "Damn it, Koika." I grumbled. "Shizuru is jealous. Why didn't you say we were related?"

Koika made a clucking noise and rolled her eyes. "You should have told her a little more about me. I'm hurt."

"Yeah, okay. What the hell are you doing here? Morgan's here too, right?"

"Whoa there, Chibi-chan! Relax. Your aunt and I wanted to have Thanksgiving with you, seeing as you are working so hard over here. Besides we wanted to see this princess who had managed to tame our beast of a niece. I like her, she is a beautiful girl and not without her thorns." Koika said with a smile as she hooked an arm through mine.

I nodded, "Um, I kinda wish that you made sure that you made her aware of our relationship, Koko. We aren't really talking because we had a huge fight in Kyoto. The only reason why she is over here is because I suffered a massive bout of vertigo."

She pulled back and studied me with serious hazel eyes. "Did you go into your beast mode?"

I shrugged, "Honestly I don't know. I got knocked in the head and I am still trying to figure out what the hell I did. Shizuru knows most of the story but she isn't saying anything, which is pissing me off."

"Did she sustain any injuries or suffered any emotional trauma?" My aunt instantly went into clinical mode, which was annoying at times. Right now I needed it.

"Well, her stalker got her to go to one of the mansion's guest rooms with no fuss on Shizuru's part. She said that the stalker forced her to go with her because she was holding something over her head." I shook my head. "But Shizuru's too smart to fall for something like that. Every time I try to get her to talk about it, she freezes me out!" I punched the couch.

"Okay, anyone would be frustrated, but tell me more." Koika's voice flowed over me, soothing the anger.

"Well, I don't remember much after I noticed that she was missing, but I do remember that when I found her, she was…" I swallowed, this part scared me. Koika took my hand and squeezed it gently. "Um, she was pinned down by Tomoe-her stalker- the bodice of her dress was shredded and Tomoe was ripping at the rest of her clothes. I threw a knife at her then proceeded to engage with the men who were acting as look outs or guards." Somewhere along the line, I had fallen into my court voice - the one that I had to use when I had to testify for the FBI.

Koika rubbed my hand and said, "If you need to stop, Chibi-chan, it's okay."

"No, I am almost done." I said, determined to tell her. "Well after I took care of the goons, I started toward the pair of them. Tomoe was hurt and she pulled something out and pointed it at me. We said a couple things - I must have told her something that pissed her off because the next thing I know is pain. After that I don't remember much but telling Shizuru to remind me to yell at her for leaving me. I woke up in a hospital bed."

Concern flashed behind her eyes before she schooled her expression. "So you were shot? In the neck?" This was her way of asking me what the hell I did to my neck and voice.

I shook my head." Nope, I'll do ya one better, Koko. She Tased me. The gun was set to maximum voltage." I pressed my fingers to the side of my neck. "I used a voice alternator to lower my voice as part of my disguise. It shorted out when the electricity hit it."

Koika sucked in a breath and then leaned in to give me a squeeze. "Oh, Natsuki. How many times do I have to tell you to think before you react? You are of no use to anyone when you let yourself get so worked up."

I hugged her back, thinking that her words where useless. Just about everything involving Shizuru approached epic proportions.

When she pulled back, she once again searched my face. "Chibi-chan, do you think that you might be in love with this young woman?"

I felt my face flame. Yes, I was totally head over heels. How do I tell her something like that? I suck at telling people my feelings. "Shizuru is one of the kindest people I know and I would gladly be stung by those thorns of hers if it means that I can stay close to her. That is why I am so angry with her right now. I know I can't keep her to myself, but I sure as hell do not want her to do stupid shit to get into trouble." I growled out the last sentence.

"Oh dear, you are in so much trouble."

I snorted. Yeah, that's what I said.

Koika leaned in and placed a kiss to my cheek. "I am sure that Shizuru is everything you say she is but you still need to learn how to curb that protective instinct you have. I am going to go out on a limb here and say that, yes, you did go into the berserk mode. This could be the main reason why you can't remember anything. Your memory of everything except for conversations and the majority of the fighting are okay right?"

I could feel a headache come on. "Yeah, and the search for Shizuru's location is just a blur of emotions." I rubbed my head; thinking about it was exhausting.

She must have sensed that I was done with the topic, so she patted my knee and sighed. "Do you want to say hi to your aunt? She is at the hotel room, taking a nap."

I perked up. I really wanted to see Miss Mo after so long. "Okay, let me grab my things. I can't ride until the doctor says my head is good."

She laughed and got up. I hurried to my small counter, where Shizuru left my things and grabbed them. Koika was waiting for me in the hall with her shoes on.

We walked up to a very nice hotel after an eventful train ride over. One of the more unsavory parts of traveling using public transportation is the chance that people on the trains would have wandering hands. Koika fell victim to a Mister Grabby Hands and I almost tore the train car apart trying to find the asshole. Lucky bastard was saved from being beaten to a pulp by the train coming to our stop.

"You know, Koko, you really ought to wear makeup. Maybe you wouldn't cause so much trouble. You know, since you are so _allergic _and all." I said jokingly as we reached the door to my aunts' room. Morgan and I thought it was hilariously ironic that beauty products caused Koika to effectively break out into hives.

"I'll take that as a compliment." She nudged my side as she slipped her card into the door and it clicked open.

We filed into the room and Morgan didn't even move. "Wow, what did you do to her on the way here?" I asked in a hushed tone. If anyone but Koika woke up Morgan, there would be hell to pay.

Koika's smoky voice was quiet as she worked her way to the second bed in the room. It, like the one that Morgan was passed out on, was a double. "She lost a bet to me. The conditions were that the loser had to carry the luggage."

I snorted and shook my head. My aunts bet on the weirdest things and their choices of what the loser had to do were outrageous. I felt my mouth pull into a grin as Koika quickly grabbed a pillow off the bed and chucked it at her spouse. It bounced off Morgan's body and dropped to the ground. Morgan shot up into a seated position, looking around the room with dazed blue eyes.

"Where's the fire?"

I burst out laughing. Morgan may be a morning person, but like the rest of us she has trouble waking up if her sleep is rudely interrupted.

Koika grinned and shook her head, "There's no fire you amazon. Get up, your niece wants to say hello." She sat down on the bed and started to comb her fingers through Morgan's hair. It was suffering from a serious case of bed-head.

"But Natalia can't say 'hi' yet. All she does is drool and make baby code." Apparently Morgan didn't see me yet so I stepped over to her side of the bed and smiled. She spotted me and then turned to Koika "Darlin' why the hell is Natsuki here?"

I stifled my laughter, and Koika's grin grew wider. "Mo - we are in Japan, visiting Natsuki."

Morgan's eyes grew large and round as she realized that I was actually in the room with her. With a girlish squeal, Morgan threw back her sheets and bounded over to me to wrap me into a warm bear hug. "Hey there, little Nat! How're ya doin'? I missed ya!"

I gave her a squeeze and then said, "I missed you too, Miss Mo."

Morgan pulled back with a start and stared at my wounded neck. "What the -"

Koika came in and gave Morgan a little pull. "Natsuki's little device that she uses to change her voice for her job shorted out on her. She'll be fine, but don't jostle her too much."

Morgan pointed at her throat and then at mine again. "But, it looks like you were burned-almost like a -"

"Taser?" I supplied helpfully.

Morgan let out a low whistle, ignoring the gentle tugging of her wife. "Who the hell did you try to beat up? Not your girlfriend's dad."

"Morgan!" Koika gave her a slap on the arm.

I totally didn't want to talk about my injuries or Shizuru right now so I put in, "Hey did you know that your wife was just groped on the train?"

Morgan's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Did you beat the crap out of the guy who did it?"

Koika sighed and shot me a glare. I shrugged; Morgan just has to deal with the fact that her wife is a total Japanese hottie. And Koika has to learn how to be less polite on the trains. "It's no big deal. Natsuki caused enough of a ruckus that the guy was probably scared for his life."

Morgan's eyes glittered with mischief as she turned sharply to face her wife. "Good, cause the only one around here that is allowed to grab my wife's ass is me." She wrapped her arms around Koika and gave her a short kiss. "Good morning, by the way."

As she leaned in, I waved my hands in front of me and shouted, "Alright, enough already! Jeeze, get a room."

"But we are in a room and besides aren't you a little old to be embarrassed by two consenting adults showing affection for each other?" Morgan grinned.

I blushed and folded my arms. "Not when they're your parents." I mumbled to the floor.

Morgan, being the obnoxious pest that she was, put a hand to her ear and said. "What? I'm sorry, I didn't hear that. I could be mistaken but I think you just said 'give your wife a proper wake up kiss.'" With that, she leaned down to Koika again.

"Not when they're your parents! It's nasty!" I stated sharply. Morgan stopped and stared at me open mouthed. Koika gave a little gasp and placed a hand to her mouth. Her eyes were tearing up.

"What?"

Koika was the first to come at me, wrapping her arms around my waist and she began to bawl into my shoulder.

"Seriously, what'd I say?" I was so confused at this point I just patted Koika on the head and stared back at Morgan.

Morgan reached over Koika's head and stroked my cheek. "Baby doll, that's the first time that you have ever acknowledged us as your parents." With that she pulled me into another embrace - this time it was gentle and with Koika between us. I soaked up their warmth, thinking that this was the best type of healing.

When we pulled apart, Koika sat on the corner of the bed and Morgan followed. I pulled a chair from the little table in the corner and sat in it with one leg hanging down and the other I used to prop my chin on.

"Well, you guys raised me when mom died. It's kinda awesome to have two moms to watch over me. And Uncle Bo was always more like a dad to me than Dad ever was. So why not?" I stated seriously while looking between the two.

"Honestly, I don't understand why your father refuses to talk to you. You were a handful but I couldn't ask for a smarter, sweeter or more beautiful daughter." Koika said softly.

Morgan grinned as she watched me flush. "It's a bonus that you're about as cute as a basket full of puppies, too."

I rolled my eyes as Morgan gave a small yelp. Koika probably pinched her for ruining a perfect hallmark moment. Once again, I was floored as to how well they got along. They were so different, yet they fit together like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Morgan interrupted my thoughts by saying, "So, when do we meet your gorgeous heiress?"

I sighed and closed my eyes. "You probably won't, she and I are fighting right now."

Morgan inched closer with a gleam in her eye. "Okay. Spill it, Natsuki. Your aunt and I are gonna help y'all get nice an' cozy again."

Well, I didn't really want my aunts to get involved with my relationship issues, but what the hell. I needed their help. Taking a deep breath, I started talking.

* * *

**AN: Another one down! Thanks again for the over whelming support last chapter! I hope this one lives up to everyone's expectations! Reviews are awesome! **


	10. Darkest Knight

_AN: Hey there! I am sorry about the long wait- I got hurt and couldn't write. Once again, Athena Sampaio Beta'd this chapter. _ On to the action!

* * *

_Darkest Knight_

Sitting at Fuuka University's café alone was a familiar exercise for me. Of course I was sipping at my favorite green tea, perusing through my class notes, while calmly ignoring the stares of my fellow students. The routine was something that I have done since the beginning of my freshman year. That is until this semester. A certain black haired biker should be showing up right about now, pushing her way through the busy café and rudely dispersing the crowd of admirers that were currently taking away valuable space.

A small disturbance in the crowd of people around my table brought my head up. She wouldn't come, would she? I squashed that little ray of hope, furious with myself for becoming so dependent on Natsuki. I had walked out on her and her new... Pretty little thing and haven't spoken to her since. That was about a week and a half ago.

I sighed, realizing that the ruckus was caused by a couple of young men attempting to get a picture of me. _Zuru, she is far from you now. You are just going to have to brace yourself. She deserves to know why you went so easily with Tomoe. _ Tears prickled at my eyes. I've started to refer to myself by her nickname. It wasn't good enough - I wanted to hear her silky grey husk and have her look at me with those eyes. I blinked away my tears and looked back down at my school work when a shadow fell across my table.

"Hey Fox, don't look so down. Trust me, the dumbass misses you more than you think." Nao's smooth voice said from above me.

I glanced up and took in the fiery red head. She was wearing a tight pair of skinny jeans and a nice puffy shiny black jacket. The jacket wound closely around her torso and its hood was trimmed with faux fur. "Nao-chan, it is good to see you today. Are you at least pretending to pay attention whenever you decide to attend your classes?" I asked as I eyed her suspiciously. She has become ARTEMIS' point since Natsuki has suffered such a bad concussion. Reito takes care of his people and Natsuki wasn't allowed back to work until she was symptom free.

"I don't need them so why bother? Besides I'm not here for work." She responded wryly while pointing at the line of students waiting for their caffeine.

Following her gaze, I noticed someone very familiar. "Is that Kaito-kun?" I quickly glanced up at Nao, who nodded. "Ara, he certainly is much more handsome when he isn't scowling at people." I said surprised more at the fact that Nao would date someone as stiff as Kaito seemed to be than at Kaito's appearance.

"Yeah, he's got a great sense of humor, too." She said as she eyed him up and down. He was turning more than a few female heads while he was talking animatedly to one of the young men behind him. His jeans were snug but relaxed, showing off powerful legs and a lean waist. His shoes were casual but a nice brown that matched his leather jacket. Every time I have seen him, his hair was slicked back, but today it was stylishly spiked and his sporty sunglasses were resting over his eyes.

"He has such a nice ass." Nao sighed dreamily. I chuckled, thinking that the girls in front of him had better get moving and stop checking out my father's handsome bodyguard.

I shook my head and gestured at the seat in front of me. "Nao-chan should sit. It looks to be quite the wait." She slid gracefully into the chair. We both ignored the gasps and scandalized whispers from my small group of admirers. "How did you and he -?" I ended my sentence with an airy wave of my hand.

"Well, while we were in Kyoto, I was kinda in charge of training the security personnel in observation." I nodded. Nao had an almost unnerving ability to read people. "He was helping me with the class, well because the majority of your dad's security people piss me off to no end." She didn't need to add that they had a very bad habit of grabbing at female body parts. Kaito was more than likely there to keep Nao's claws away from any of the poor men who dared to try her patience.

"He helped me with my temper, and I found out that he wasn't as much of a stick in the mud as he wants everyone to believe." She paused and her lime green eyes narrowed at something.

"Nao-chan, don't hurt anyone." I warned merrily, as she slunk out of her chair, looking like a cat stalking after her prey. She must be serious about Kaito because she usually never stayed with a man long enough to actually date him.

Sidling up to the tall bodyguard, Nao plastered herself to Kaito's side. I smirked as the two young women who were attempting to flirt with him noticed the short firestorm that was Nao. I couldn't see her face but I saw her wrap her hand around Kaito's waist and her other arm pulling him down to her face. A low musical chuckle escaped my lips as I watched the shocked expressions on not only the two young ladies' faces but on Kaito's as well. Nao was never one to be subtle. Poor Kaito probably didn't even know what hit him.

After Nao so assertively staked her claim, she gave Kaito another squeeze then said something to the girls that made them gasp and her poor boyfriend blush. With those parting shots, Nao got out of line and sauntered back to my table, looking smug.

"Ara, Nao-chan really must like Kaito-kun." I spoke with amusement while eyeing her.

Nao smiled smugly. "Yeah, he's a little rough around the edges but he'll do. Besides those bimbos need to keep their filthy hands to themselves."

I chuckled, knowing the feeling. Natsuki's fan base was comprised mostly of young women, so I had to deal with flashes of jealously, especially since I knew that Natsuki was attracted to women. But I was glad that she finds her fans to be a nuisance. I was and still am extremely upset with the fact that Natsuki has been using Takeda to carry her books. I am actually jealous of Takeda; he gets to hold her up when she falls and he gets to be near her, while I am stuck in this café. My jealousy was never really a problem until Koika Kruger burst into Natsuki's apartment.

"Hey, Fox! What's eating at you?" Nao evidently saw something in my expression. I blinked, surprised that my vision was blurring. Well, having tears in my eyes was fairly obvious.

I took a shaky breath. "Natsuki seems to have replaced me."

Nao's eyes widened and she let out a low whistle. "I dunno, but why would you say that?"

"I brought her home a little over a week ago after she had a nasty bout of vertigo. She had fallen asleep on the couch and I was waiting for her to wake up so I could give her the vertigo medication." Nao rolled her eyes. She knew that Natsuki was not the biggest fan of medicine. Carrying on, I spoke even softer. "Then this beautiful young woman, who is probably a couple years older than me, unlocked the door and walked into the apartment. She then walked right up to Natsuki, like she was familiar with her - she even called her Chibi-chan." I took another breath trying to calm down.

Nao shook her head and I saw something flash in her eye. "I don't think that she has replaced you. You are very special to her, and last time I checked, wolves mate for life."

_I wish that Natsuki would feel the same. _I thought sadly.

Our conversation was interrupted by Kaito, who had two cups of coffee in his hands and a decidedly uncomfortable look on his face. "Zhang-san, here's your latte." He held a shyness that I thought was adorable. Nao seemed to think so too, since she sent him a brilliant smile. He blushed and turned to me. "Hello, Fujino-sama."

I waved him off. "Kaito-kun, you don't have to do that, please just call me Shizuru." I smiled gently at him.

"Yeah, Kaito - how many times do I have to tell you to just call me Nao? I freaking hate formalities. Besides, I think we are beyond that." She said suggestively. I raised a questioning brow at the two of them. Poor Kaito was burning red.

"Ara, are you actually having fun, Kaito-kun? Perish the thought." I said with humor in my voice. Nao cackled as she got up and laced her arm through Kaito's. I watched them, envious because I had that, even for a short while. "Trust me, I have shown him more fun in the past couple weeks than I think than he has had in his entire life."

"N-Nao! Jeez! You know we just went out on a couple of dates! You don't have to make it look like we did anything more than that." Kaito said in a panic. Nao grinned up at him. He softened and turned to me. "We're going to head out now, Shizuru-san. I'll see you later."

I felt myself grin too as I waved them away. They were a very cute couple. Short, fiery Nao has turned Kaito into a teddy bear. My smile fell off my face, and I quickly gathered my things. Nao's expression when she learned Koika's name was nagging at me. I tried to remember what Natsuki had said of her aunts. The only thing that I could remember was that one was a famous profiler with the FBI, and the other was a CIA agent. Maybe I should head over to visit Anh at the club. She could help me sort out my memories.

I was studying using one of the tables in _The __HiMe Star_, half listening to the sounds of the practicing dancers. JUN had already come over to ask me about my routines. I wasn't really up for trying out a new dance, so he left me alone. Suddenly, one of the male dancers let loose a low whistle. I glanced up from my notes and spotted someone that I had not expected to see here. Koika Kruger strutted across the _Star'_sfloor dressed in comfortable jeans and a ski jacket. Even with the casual clothes, she still managed to look like she had just come from a fashion shoot. The dancer who whistled at her jumped off the stage and eagerly intercepted Koika's progress.

"Miss, can I help you?" I had to cover my smile. I have only seen Natsuki and Nao illicit such responses from men.

Koika studied him with piercing eyes. I furrowed my brows. That expression was familiar, but it couldn't be. Natsuki would look at people like that when she was mildly annoyed with them. The hazel eyes disappeared as Koika blinked, and the similarities disappeared. "Yes. Could you point me in the direction of Anh Lu's office?" Her smoky voice flowed through the building, completely at odds with her short stature.

The young man straightened and pointed around her back at the employee's entrance. "It's right behind you - go through that door and her office is on the left."

She gave him a brilliant smile and I could see the backs of his ears turn pink. "Thank you." With the simple gratitude, the woman turned around and walked to the employee's door. It snapped shut and everyone began moving again.

The young man moved back to his place on the stage. He gladly took some jostling from his friends and said, "That chick has got to be one of the hottest women I have ever seen. Of course she doesn't hold a candle to you Voila, when you dance!" He raised his voice as he gave me a nod.

"So, she wins every other time? You only like me for my dancing, then?" I pouted and batted my eyes at him, not feeling bad at all for teasing him. I can be mean when I am irritated.

"N-No!" He panicked. "You look great all the time, but she's got something a little different from you! You both are totally hot and totally out of my league."

I chuckled, "Such a reaction! I would not be so petty as to be so upset in your taste in women. I thank you for the sentiment though."

"Haha! No one can out talk you, Voila-san! I give in to the master." The young man gave me a good natured bow. I bowed back, my mind already on why Koika was here.

Gathering my things, I swiftly headed to Anh's office. I had to leave my school bag there anyway, so it hopefully would not look like I am crashing the party as it were. As I reached the door, my courage was beginning to fail me. Was Koika really Natsuki's new girlfriend? She and I never actually had an official date despite feeling like we were a couple. Do I have the right to even try to speak with Koika about their relationship?

_Come now, Shizuru! Natsuki wouldn't allow someone to be so close to her in such a short time. She always said that I was the exception. _With that thought, I rapped the door with my knuckles.

Counting to five and pushing through, I saw Anh behind her desk with a devilish smirk on her face.

I fought the urge to glare at her. Anh is up to something, I could feel it.

"Ara, Koika-chan and I were just talking about you!" I glanced at the pair of them, Anh's grin had widened even further. Koika had turned in her chair to look at me calmly, her gaze just as powerful as if she were staring straight through me. _Yet another thing that she has in common with Natsuki._ I suppressed a shiver.

Koika gracefully pulled out of her chair and stepped towards me. "Hello again Fujino-san, I am sorry if I caused any further problems between you and my niece."

_Her niece? _My brain screamed at me. _I walked out on someone who is probably my soul mate because I thought her aunt was her new lover? _ I blinked furiously through my misting eyes.

Anh's smile fell off her face and she quickly moved to her feet and started to me. When she pulled me into a hug, I couldn't help but start crying. Through my tears, I saw that Koika was watching us with mild interest.

I when I finally cried myself out, Anh rubbed my back and pulled away. "You okay now?"

I nodded, dried my tears and turned to my lover's aunt. "Ara, this was unexpected. I am sorry for my behavior at Natsuki's apartment. It was totally out of character."

Koika shook her reddish-black mane of hair. "There's no need to apologize. Especially after your fight with my idiot, it would only be natural to assume that Natsuki had moved on."

I couldn't disagree more. "She is loyal to the last, and I had completely disregarded that part of her personality." I paused and asked, "Does she remember what she said when she was arguing with Tomoe?" I didn't bother with the back story because I knew that Natsuki told her what she remembered anyways.

Again she pinned me with her stare. "No, but I imagine that it was epically romantic. My idiot is prone to grand statements when she's in the mood."

I liked her. I couldn't help it; she and Natsuki were extremely similar. Grinning, I said. "Yes, Tomoe had claimed me for herself. Natsuki calmly stated that no one could hold on to me and then said that she was mine." I shook my head at the tingles that ran up my back. "Suffice it to say, I was shocked in the most pleasant of ways."

She reached out her small hands and wrapped them around mine. "As much as I would like to speak to you about Natsuki, I would like to have her other aunt with us. She's been dying to meet you."

Giving her a nod I said. "That sounds wonderful. I must confess that I am still a little shocked that Natsuki's aunt is such a beautiful young woman."

She broke out into another brilliant smile and those odd eyes sparkled. "Oh dear, I am not sure that I can take all of these wonderful comments in one day. Would you meet us at the train station by Natsuki's house at three tomorrow? Morgan and I want to do a bit of sightseeing before we meet up."

Letting her hands drop, I smiled once more. "Okay, I will certainly be there."

Anh grinned and handed her the purse that she left on the chair. "Thank you, Anh." As she reached the door, she paused and turned back to me. "Shizuru, how is your English?"

I opened my mouth but Anh spoke up in a cheerful tone. "Oh, her English is just fine. When she and Natsuki speak, the conversations are almost entirely in English. They think it gives them a bit of privacy. Natsuki thinks she has a beautiful accent." I blushed and shot daggers at her.

Kioka's eyebrow shot up. "Is that so? Well, if you don't mind using English tomorrow that would be great." She waited for my nod before showing herself out.

Anh smirked with mischief in her eyes. "What?"

I rolled my eyes. "You know exactly what, Anh. Thank you so much for embarrassing me further."

"No problem!" Anh said with gusto. "Oh, Nao-chan asked for the night off. So-"

The door flew open, revealing an excited Chie. She looked about the room, her chocolate eyes were wide. "Did anyone get the name and number of that super hottie that just walked out of the club?"

Oh tonight was going to be highly entertaining.

Before we could respond Aoi walked in with surprising calm and smacked Chie over the head causing her to utter a sharp yelp.

"Down girl. That woman would eat you alive."

Chie was all smiles as she said "Oh, I was planning on it baby."

Shaking my head, I gathered up my school things and followed the bickering lovers to my dressing room.

* * *

The sky was overcast and it was chilly as I waited outside Natsuki's train station. I was so nervous that I got here twenty minutes early. I was dressed sensibly in a wool jacket and a pair of dark jeans. I had decided to wear a nice pair of sneakers instead my usual high heeled boots because the weather could turn for the worst and I hate trying to walk through winter sludge with my boots. I also wore a pair of lightly tinted sunglasses to hide my eyes.

Leaning on a pillar with a flashy movie poster, I tried to ignore the whispers of the commuters who noticed me. There were the ones who would spot me right away and stare until they walked by. Some people would keep glancing in my direction. My favorites were the ones who would do a double take then turn with frantic whispers to their friends and snap quick pictures with their phones. I sighed, hoping that Morgan and Koika would not be late.

Suddenly a young couple stopped right in front of me. Staring wide eyed at me, the young woman spoke up in a nervous voice. "Are you Fujino Shizuru-san?"

With my warm half smile on I said, "Why yes I am. How can I help you?"

The couple looked at each other and the guy spoke up. "Well, we were wondering if your eye color was actually red. We love all of those interviews; you're really funny and down to earth. We just want to know if they were for show or not." His hand waved in front of his face.

Holding in a sigh, I debated my options. I was always sensitive about my eye color. Mother and Father thought that they were wonderful. Father thought that they would help me intimidate people while mother thought that they would add to my unusual beauty. My red eyes ended up alienating me from my classmates in school because they only made me standout further. My classmates stopped treating me as a valued member of their class once teachers demanded that they stopped bothering me about my eyes. Soon I was placed on a pedestal, and kids stopped asking to be friends with me. I was like a doll, a thing to look at and possess but never more than that.

Before I could make a decision, a loud voice spoke up through the crowd. "Hey kiddos, bug off. Y'all are making the lady uncomfortable." The voice was strong and pleasant with a slight southern drawl filtering through the American accent.

Surprised, I looked up and spotted the source of the voice. _Ara! She has to be Natsuki's other aunt. _"Are you here with Miss Koika?" I asked while eyeing the newcomer. She was dressed in black cargoes that were baggy everywhere but around her waist and a tight leather jacket. She jangled as she stepped forward in her really heavy looking black boots - probably due to the excessive amount of metal that hung from various areas on her outfit. Her deep blue eyes were large but one was partially hidden behind a shock of silvery blond bangs.

The couple jumped and raced off as she ran those eyes over them in a bored manner. "Yes, ma'am. My name is Morgan LeFay. I am Koika's wife and one of Natsuki's guardians." Morgan said cheerfully.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss LeFay. I am Shizuru Fujino." I raised my hand, trying to suppress my surprise at Morgan's open admission of her relationship with Koika.

Morgan grasped my hand in a firm shake and smiled. "Wow, little lady. Natsuki was right - you have a beautiful voice." Letting go she glanced at the crowd and bent down. "Koika wanted me to tell you that she is forcing Natsuki to get her head checked right now and that she will join us a little later."

I shook my head and asked the question that has been eating me for the past couple of weeks. "How is Natsuki?"

Morgan glanced at me then back at the crowd. "As much as I would like to discuss my niece with you, I think that we should move somewhere quiet. I don't like all these people here. It's way too easy for your stalkers to hide themselves in the crowd."

I stiffened and looked up at the tall blonde. Trying to relax, I said. "Well, there is a nice little café that is near the station. It isn't as popular as the Starbucks so there shouldn't be as many people. Perhaps we should go there?"

Morgan nodded with a quick flick of her eyes down ward before snapping back to scan the crowd. "I am sorry for worrying you, but I have this odd feeling that we are in enemy territory. Let's head on out."

I nodded and started for the café. Morgan's heavy boots barely made a sound against the sidewalk as she flowed next to me. So, she must be the CIA agent. Glancing at her face, I noticed that her eyes were everywhere at once. Just like Natsuki.

When we came to the front door of the café, Morgan insisted that I go in first. Once inside, I could feel the tension flow from Morgan like the tide rushing out. "I assume that the threat is now over, yes?" I asked lightly.

Morgan chuckled. "Yes, Little Lady. You sure are a sharp one."

"Well, I just noticed that you and Natsuki move the same way. Whenever Natsuki felt threatened, she would do exactly the same thing." I suppressed a giggle at Morgan's surprised expression. "Shall I order you something to drink? It will be my treat for guarding me so well so soon after we met."

"Oh, could I have one of those, um, what do y'all call 'em?" Morgan scrunched up her face in concentration. "Ah, calupus sodas?"

"Oh, you mean Calpus Soda?" She nodded and I glanced at the menu. "It looks like they have melon soda. It's a lemon lime drink. They also have grape soda."

"I'll take the grape!" She said with enthusiasm. This time I couldn't keep my giggles in. Morgan turned her wide blue eyes at me in question. I waved it off saying, "Miss Morgan is like a little girl with all of her enthusiasm. I am simply not used to it."

Morgan's eyes brightened and she grinned. I ordered a green tea and Morgan's drink. She followed me to a table near the window. We sipped at our drinks in companionable silence. Thinking that Morgan would try to get to know me by bombarding me with questions, I prepared for it but I was surprised that she hadn't yet. Morgan had already seemed to give me a nickname.

"So, Miss Shizuru, how much has Natsuki told you about us?" Morgan's southern accent was warm.

"Ara, she rarely speaks of you two but I do know that you took her in when her mother died. She also drops little tidbits here and there during conversation. You are the CIA agent. Koika is an FBI profiler. That's just about all that I know. She treasures you two and I believe she keeps you both close to her heart because of that. I have never really pushed her on the topic because I know that she would have told me when she was ready."

Morgan's mouth dropped open and she said. "Holy cow. Little Lady, are you a psychology student?" At my nod she grinned and shook her head. "You psychology people are really scary. But I think it's mostly because y'all are ridiculously good at reading others. Koika's the same way. I mean she could tell that I was attracted to her the instant she met me."

"That's because you were checking me out like a dirty old man." A smoky voice said irritably from behind me.

"Oh, hey there, Ko! How'd you figure out where we were?" Morgan shot her spouse a rakish grin. "I suppose you just can't keep away."

Koika snorted as she sat down next to her wife. "No, our niece knows her girlfriend very well and said that I should look here for her." Morgan suddenly jumped and swore. Her hand disappeared under the table, and I guessed that Koika had pinched her.

"Hello, Miss Koika. Is Natsuki well?" I asked.

"She is doing better. Her headaches are no longer as persistent and they took her off her vertigo medicine." Koika said with a sigh. The older women shared a glance and Koika lowered her voice. "I just wish that she would be more careful." Morgan's face was solemn as she reached over and pulled Koika into a one armed hug.

I couldn't take the guilt anymore. Standing up and giving them a deep bow, I said. "I am so sorry for putting your niece into danger. If I had handled the situation a little differently, then perhaps…"

A chair scraped against the tiles and Morgan's voice sounded off above me. "Little Lady, please sit down. Koika and I don't really know what happened because Natsuki doesn't remember much. We would love to hear your side of the story." When I sat down, Koika and Morgan wore twin gentle smiles. Morgan slowly sat back into her chair.

"Okay. I will tell you what happened as best as I can." Taking a deep breath, I let the words spill out of my mouth. I watched the pair as I told them how Tomoe had threatened Natsuki's life and brought me to her little hastily created love nest. Their expressions darkened when I told them of Tomoe's attempted rape and of Natsuki's rescue. Morgan broke into a wry smile when I recounted Natsuki's battle of words with Tomoe. Her smile dropped off her face as she mirrored her wife's murderous rage when I described the effects the Taser had on Natsuki. Silence enveloped us as the two women absorbed what I had told them.

Koika's strange hazel eyes shimmered between gold and light green as she grasped my hand. "Thank you, Shizuru. I will not accept an apology from you because I do not believe that you had done anything wrong. You were incredibly brave to try to keep Natsuki away from Tomoe."

I tugged my sunglasses off my face and wiped at my eyes. "I just feel so helpless. All of the confidence that I had regained since Natsuki had come into my life has been ripped away in one fell stroke. And now I feel that Natsuki and I will never see eye to eye again."

Once again the couple shared a glance, silently communicating something to each other. Morgan smiled. "Ya know - you and Little Nats are very similar, even though you have completely different personalities. You both are strong, proud and lonely young women. I believe that you think that you have to protect your loved ones because you have so few of them. Natsuki's the same."

Koika sighed. "Yes. Natsuki is incredibly loyal to her loved ones and after her mother's death, she couldn't understand why her father - my brother - wasn't as loyal and loving to her. She's always had a bit of a temper but after her family seemed to abandon her, it turned into a smoldering rage." Koika paused and shook her head, carrying on a little sadly. "Natsuki was an angry little girl and once I had earned her trust, she became extremely protective of me. She felt that she personally had to take on those that would do me wrong. It was as though she had to prove her loyalty to me so I wouldn't disappear on her."

Realizing why she had done what she had done, I sucked in a breath. "So that's why she didn't stop."

Morgan chuckled. "Yeah, that girl is extremely hard headed. The stronger the positive feelings she has for a person, the more extreme her protective instincts react to any threat-perceived or real-to that person."

My brain raced through all the things that Natsuki had done during the time I had known her. "Ara." My voice was wispy and thin.

Morgan looked at Koika and asked, "So what does 'ara' mean anyways? She says it almost every sentence."

Koika chuckled. "Well it's a polite exclamation. In English, it could be translated into something like 'my, my.'"

"Oh. Does that mean that she just realized that Natsuki is totally in love with her?"

Koika glowered at her wife and elbowed her in the ribs. "Do you actually have brains in that head of yours? Or are you not thinking straight from lack of oxygen because you are too damn tall?"

Morgan grinned and said, "I never think straight around you. Your beauty bewitches me and I am afraid I cannot find my wits."

I giggled as I watched Koika flush and look away grumbling. "I see where Natsuki gets her silver tongue. Are you the one who got her into the Arthurian romances, Miss Morgan?"

Morgan lifted her head proudly. "Got that right! I may not look it but I love classic literature. When I was little, I couldn't read too many things because of my strict upbringing. I loved fantasy but the genre was axed because it was too fantastical. Then I found an old copy of Tennyson's Arthurian works in the library and I loved them. My parents liked them too because of the religious aspects. They held romance, magic, courage and sacrifice. I gave Natsuki a copy of the works for her birthday and she ate them up. When she started quoting from _Idylls of the King_ I was surprised and so very proud."

Koika looked at me. "Shizuru, you are a people person but I have a feeling that you purposefully keep others at arm's length. Why?"

That was a little sudden, but that's what psychologists do. I sighed. "Well, I have had a number of experiences where I learned that people tend to objectify me. At first it was about the wealth and prestige of my family. Then when I came out of my awkward phase as a supposed beauty, people were just jumping at the chance to be connected to the wealthy and gentle Fujino Shizuru. Now I am idolized for those two things and the fame that I had garnered. It is difficult to be surrounded by people who can't even look me in the eye."

"Oh." Koika paused. "Natsuki challenged you didn't she?"

I looked up, startled. "I suppose that when she decided to flirt with me, it was like a challenge to me. But what drew me to her was that she looked me straight in the eyes and said those things. Somehow I realized that she was not just flattering me but was telling me what she was really feeling."

Morgan sat up eagerly, "Oh? How so?"

I flushed and said quietly. "Well, she looked straight through me when she pretended to describe me to The Disney people." Morgan and Koika looked at me in confusion. "Oh, I had called her Snow White, and as a way to stop my teasing she pretended to call Tokyo Disneyland, claiming that I was a lost princess." Morgan snorted. Koika sighed and shook her head, a rueful smile plastered on her face.

I carried on. "I had an idea when she said that she loved the way my eyes looked when I laughed. I knew when she told me that she thought the color of my eyes were like the maple leaves in autumn. Whenever people want to complement me, they would say that my eyes were like rubies or blood. Or they would say that my voice was like an angel. " I huffed bitterly. "Besides, I sensed that Natsuki probably didn't know that she was actually flirting."

Morgan threw her head back and laughed. "Ha! I knew it! That child is a charmer through and through!"

Koika shook her head. "Yeah, I am sure that Natsuki's sincerity blindsided you. And I must say that Natsuki was drawn to you because you have a warmth about you that you can't hide behind that mask of yours. You are a good person who has been put through a lot but it hasn't tainted that kindness. I think this characteristic, more so than your physical beauty, is what draws people to you. Your experiences have made you more cautious, but nothing more than that." Her warm eyes reassured me as she smiled. Even though she hadn't known me very long, Koika was able to guess a little about my personality. Profilers are frightening.

I blinked. "Ah. Thank you." It was all I could say. This family was incredible. They just made it harder for me to be angry with Natsuki.

"Well, my lovely ladies. Should we get on out of here? I don't wanna get caught in the rain. Or snow, or whatever." Morgan stretched herself out as she stood up. Koika and I stood up and took up our purses.

"I thank you for everything." I said, allowing the cadences of Kyoto to permeate my English. We exited the café to the stares of our fellow costumers.

Koika blinked and gave me a smoky chuckle, "You are incredible Shizuru-chan. I have never heard a Japanese accent sound so musical."

I blushed. "It is merely my Kyoto-ben. Ookini though." I looked away; these two had me so flustered that I was starting to speak Japanese through my English.

"Um, what's a Kyoto-ben?" Morgan asked.

"Kyoto-ben is a dialect of Japanese that is spoken in Osaka and Kyoto. Even though most people think that it is a little out dated, it is a little more lyrical than the Tokyo dialect. Some people, like Shizuru, can make the language beautiful." Koika said with amusement.

"Oh, so it's kind of like the old genteel southern accents?" Morgan's pixie like face lit up with open curiosity.

"Yeah, you got it."

I noticed that Koika and Morgan were content in following me to my train. Stopping and turning to face them, I asked, "Are you on the same train?"

They shook their heads and looked a little guilty. I tilted my head to the side trying to think of reasons why they'd look that way.

Morgan spoke up. "Shizuru, if you don't mind, we would like to escort you to your house. I don't feel comfortable leaving you to yourself until you got home."

"Yeah, Morgan said she felt something off earlier today. Since you are being gang stalked, I wouldn't put it past them to have someone else follow you to the apartment." Koika said with a hint of concern. I wondered when they had spoken of it.

"Ara. Miss Morgan and Miss Koika are too kind. I cannot say no to them. Kannin na. I do not want to keep you from your niece."

"Huh?" Morgan looked confused. "Okay that sounded pretty, but what the hell did you just say?"

"Oh, my! I am so sorry, Miss Morgan. I just said that I don't mind and I am sorry for keeping you from Natsuki." I said, embarrassed. I can't believe that I unconsciously spoke Japanese. These two reminded me too much of Natsuki that they had me twisted in knots.

Koika reached up and patted my shoulder while shaking with laughter. "It's okay, Shizuru. You'd better get used to this though. If Natsuki likes you, then we like you, so you're pretty much stuck with us."

I shook my head. "You both have given Natsuki so much of yourselves that I have seen much of her in you. I am amazed as to how close you are to each other."

Koika blushed and Morgan gave me puppy eyes. I burst out laughing. They were too much.

It took about fifteen minutes for the train get to my stop. The three of us were chatting pleasantly about all kinds of topics by the time we had reached my apartment. Morgan gave a low whistle and complemented me on my building. She then asked if she could have a tour before she left. Knowing that she was politely asking if she could do a security check, I agreed.

While we were waiting in the living room, Koika spoke up. "I am surprised that you put up with all of this." She gestured towards the back room, where Morgan had disappeared. "I would have run out of patience by now." She held an approving tone in her voice.

I nodded. "Well, usually Natsuki is with me, so I never had a problem with her staying a little longer. And -"

"Koika! Shizuru! Call the police!" Morgan said urgently from my bedroom. I vaguely wondered how she got in there without us noticing her movement. When she popped out, she slinked towards us like a large cat. Her face was hard and her eyes had darkened like a stormy sky.

Koika saw her face as she ended her conversation with the police and her eyes widened. "Morgan?" Morgan and Koika's eyes locked and Koika nodded before she turned her gaze on me. "Shizuru-chan, could you call Natsuki? I know that you two aren't on the same page now but I have a feeling that she needs to be here." The smoky tone was soft but firm.

"Okay, Miss Koika. May I see my room?" I looked between the two older women and Morgan shook her head, still seething. I hit the buttons on my phone as I watched Koika walk over to her wife and mold her body to Morgan's. Dial tone gave way to ringing as Koika stood up on her toes to whisper into her lover's ear.

"What?" Natsuki's voice snapped through the line, pulling my eyes away from her two aunts.

"Hello, Natsuki. Could you come over to my place?" I slipped into Japanese, and I heard that my Kyoto accent had become incredibly thick, despite the calm in my voice.

"And why would I want to do that? You can't stand to be around me. Besides, I have company coming." So Morgan and Koika didn't tell Natsuki that they were meeting with me? Sneaky. "Natsuki I am sorry for not trusting you and if you are talking about your aunts then they are here, with me."

The silence on the other end of the line was so thick that I thought that Natsuki had hung up on me. "Okay. So how does Morgan look?" Natsuki's voice was dangerously low.

"Well, she's calmed down but she looked like she was a storm cloud when she first came from my room." I reported. Why had Natsuki asked about Morgan? Perhaps it was because she knew Morgan would be the first on the scene.

I heard rumbling and Natsuki snarled. "Damn it! I'll be down right away." She didn't wait for me to acknowledge that I heard her before she hung up on me.

I looked up at the couple. "She's coming."

Koika visibly relaxed and then looked up at Morgan. "Mo? I am going to go in and check out the room. Perhaps I can help build a profile on this Tomoe person." Morgan, who still hadn't spoken, gave her spouse a sharp nod. Koika gave her a quick kiss before marching into the room.

We waited for a couple minutes in a tense silence. I felt bad that I had pulled Morgan and Koika into my problem. Looking up at the brooding amazon, I thought of a way to get her to sit down. "Miss Morgan? Please sit; it would do us no good if you collapse." I said softly.

Morgan gave me a wry smile and asked "How do you stay so calm?" while she moved to my loveseat.

"Oh, she's not calm. She's just really good at hiding it." Natsuki's smooth husk sounded from the hall. I was elated that her voice was almost back to normal.

"Natsuki, did you drive your motorcycle here?" I asked while eyeing her up and down. She looked nice, but her pale neck was marred by a spot of red and she looked like she hadn't slept in a long time.

"Yeah, the doc said I could ride, now that my concussion symptoms are down. Where's Koko?" She looked passed me to the thin blonde deadly weapon that was her aunt.

I followed her gaze to Morgan, who had pointed to my bedroom. "How do you know that she's upset?"

"Her accent gets thicker and I bet her eyes are a deep crimson." Natsuki said over my shoulder. She was so close but I didn't dare turn towards her.

Morgan suddenly smiled. "How do you know when she gets turned on?"

"Her voice deepens and she smiles like the devil. And -" Natsuki made a choking sound. I glanced behind me and saw that she had gone red. "Morgan! What the hell?"

"What? It's totally normal." Morgan shrugged.

I felt a smile tug at my mouth but before I could say anything, Natsuki bent over and pinned me to the couch with her hands on my shoulders. "You don't get to add anything. I am still angry that you refuse to tell me why you left the dance."

I smiled up at her and brought my hand up to place it against her cheek. "What if I told you that you could have been killed if I hadn't gone with Tomoe?" I asked softly in Japanese.

Her beautiful eyes widened, the extra light making them look like twin emeralds. "I'll still be angry." I felt deflated and I dropped my hand, looking away. Suddenly, a gentle hand lifted my chin. I stared at the coffee table. Natsuki carried on in a seductive murmur, "At myself, for not being there to stop them from taking you in the first place. Then I would thank you for being so brave and selfless." Warm grey silk washed over me and I snapped my focus back to her incredible eyes.

"Kannin na, my Natsuki." I whispered and I tugged her into a hug. "I cannot to this myself. But I need you to stay healthy. Please try to be more careful next time."

We broke apart at a loud squealing sound. "Oh Lordy! I don't even know what y'all said but you two are so cute!" Morgan sounded like she had gotten over her anger.

Koika came out of the room with a silent snarl on her face. "Morgan! Quit acting like a twelve year old!"

A sharp knocking at the door stopped Koika. Then a voice sounded through the apartment. "Fuuka PD! We received a disturbance call! Please open the door."

Kioka hurried to the door and opened it, allowing the police inside. Introductions were given. Morgan gave her account of the scene, since she was the first to witness it, through Koika's translation.

Natsuki wandered into the bedroom ahead of the police officers. Suddenly, Natsuki shouted a colorful curse word and a loud thud reverberated through the apartment.

Morgan, Koika and I stared at each other. I moved first, waving at them to stay in their seats. Koika moved to perch herself on the arm of the loveseat and Morgan wrapped an arm around her waist. "I'll see to Natsuki. Please try to relax. You both have already done so much."

Walking into the room, I stared at the total devastation that had ravaged my room. "Ara." At its center, my bed was torn to shreds. The comforter had long rents in it and my sheets hung in tatters off the sides. A black knife poked out of one of my pillows, and ignoring Natsuki's weak protest, I walked up to the pillow. The knife pierced a picture of Natsuki - dressed as Misaki - straight through her head. I grimaced, and looked at the rest of the damage. My dresser drawers were overturned, their contents strewn about the room, lying next to the rest of my things. My laptop was destroyed, its screen bent and cracked. Books, pictures, clothes: nothing stood in the way of the rage of the person who did this.

The worst of it was what had been scrolled across the walls. Obscenities and graphic images were either etched into the paint or painted on it in green. I felt faint. Tomoe had to have been here. Her proxies couldn't have pulled off the violent rage that was represented in my room. Something struck me. Maybe that's why Morgan thought we were being watched - Tomoe's proxies could have been monitoring my movements and updating their leader.

Natsuki was growling low in her throat. Turning, I noticed that she was standing near a dent in the wall. I wrapped an arm around her waist and patted at her stomach. "Natsuki." I murmured into her ear. "Please calm down. You cannot go hurting yourself again when you just recovered from your last injuries."

Natsuki's growls subsided and she leaned into me. "Zuru, how is it that you are so strong? I have never met someone who can handle a stalker the way you do."

Shivering at the use of my nickname, I led her out of the room so that the police could catalog this incident for their growing file. "Why, Natsuki, it is obvious. I am strong because I know that I have such wonderful people looking out for me. You should have seen me before we met."

Morgan and Koika stood up when we entered the living room. Morgan was looking concerned, while Koika was livid. I don't know why though.

"I just spoke to officer dumbass over there and found out that the police haven't picked up their patrols of the area, even though ARTEMIS has recommended it for all of the stalking cases." The small woman stamped her foot. "I know that stalking is very difficult to prove and the police can't investigate all the claims of but I know that you have a file with them on Shizuru's case! They know that Tomoe is dangerous, because she's assaulted you before! What's going to make them take this seriously?"

"Koko, please don't worry. The police didn't pick up their patrols on Shizuru's building because we didn't want to tip off Tomoe on Shizuru's location." I looked at Natsuki surprised by the revelation. She never mentioned it before. "I guessed that Tomoe hadn't figured out where Shizuru lives because all of her attacks were at _The HiMe Star_ or other public areas. She has always received fan mail from her school PO Box or at the _Star._ No one but those closest to her knew of her home."

Morgan nodded in approval, and then asked, "I wonder how she was able to find out where you live, Shizuru. Do you take different routes home from work or school?"

I tilted my head, not liking the direction my thoughts were taking me. "Yes, because I am so busy, I often stay over at Anh's place or have to go to interviews straight from school. But I have a theory as to how she got a hold of my address." Looking at everyone in turn, I continued, "Tomoe may have gained access to my student records. She had revealed to me that she knew of my closeness to Natsuki and had somehow gotten a hold of one of her knives. She used it on me during her attempted rape. Since Natsuki and I have been careful about her appearances, she is only Natsuki around me during school." I took in a deep breath. That was hard.

Natsuki whirled on me. "When were you going to tell me that she found my knife? And when were you going to tell me what she said to you while I was beating the crap out of her men?" She asked, her back stiff with anger.

"Natsuki! Chill out!" Morgan scolded her. "Last time I checked, you two were not speaking to each other and did you happen to read your team's reports? I am sure that Shizuru has spoken to at least one of your teammates about this." I nodded, Nao had made sure to write down that Natsuki's knife was on Tomoe, in case Tomoe would try to frame Natsuki for something.

Natsuki flinched. "No, I haven't read the reports. Sorry Zuru." She had deflated and looked at her feet. "I had lost a knife when I threw it at Takeda the first time we met. He was creeping me out so I left the knife in the trunk of one of the trees in that little patch of forest outside the campus. After that, I had forgotten about it till now."

"Terrible form, Natsuki. I taught you better than that!" Morgan gave her niece a disapproving once over and crossed her arms. "Never leave your weapons behind - you don't know if your enemy will use them on your back."

Natsuki sighed and shook her head. "Yes, Miss Mo."

Koika walked over and gave Natsuki a small hug. "Now, now, don't be too hard on yourself. From the sound of it, we don't know if she had gotten to Shizuru's records. If so, then Shizuru can actually do some of the trace work herself. We could still turn this on Tomoe." Natsuki heaved a huge yawn. Koika added, "It's late, and the police have this area secure. I say we should all get some rest."

She hugged Natsuki and then stepped to me and gave me a quick hug. "Please look after each other?" We nodded at her and she looked at Morgan.

"Right! Good night, guys. Stay safe." Morgan gave Natsuki a bear hug and she whispered, "Still super proud of you, Baby Doll." Natsuki nodded into her shoulder, her face reddening.

Turning to me, Morgan gave me a gentle squeeze and said quietly, "Look after my Baby Doll for me, kay?" I chuckled and patted her back, letting her know that I heard her.

"Koika. Quit looking over their shoulders." Morgan said over my head as she withdrew.

I turned at Natsuki's snort to find that Koika had popped her head out of my room and scowled at her family. She directed a smile at me and said. "Shizuru-chan, I asked if it was okay for me to take a change of clothes for you. I found some PJ's but that's just about it."

I smiled at her. "Ookini, Miss Koika. But there's no need. I have -"

A hand clamped down on my mouth, cutting me off. Natsuki pressed into my side, causing a warm tingle of desire to race through me. "She's got a whole bunch of clothes at the club where she works. But a set of PJ's would be awesome for tonight."

All I could do was nod. I didn't know why Natsuki didn't want her aunts to know that she had accumulated a small number of my outfits. Right now I was too busy trying to ignore how close Natsuki was. Not being able to resist, I pursed my lips to give Natsuki's palm a kiss.

She shot off of me and her face was a bright red. Her expression was almost worth the loss of the feeling of her body against mine. "Zuru!"

I affected an innocent expression. _See? I am a good girl. _Natsuki wasn't as impressed as I'd hoped.

Morgan snorted. "If you and Shizuru weren't having sleepovers, then I'd be concerned. Y'all are crazy not to want to jump each other."

Twin shouts of "Morgan!" erupted from her family.

"What? Just sayin'."

Natsuki rolled her eyes and took the clothes from her shorter aunt. She then went to the kitchen and grabbed a grocery bag from my cabinet. I went to the front hall and pulled my helmet from its place in my hall closet. The two aunts followed Natsuki and me out to her bike.

"Please don't drive like a maniac, Natsuki. You're still recovering." Koika said with a worried expressing as she watched us climb on the bike.

Natsuki gave her a thumbs up and then waved at her aunts while firing up the machine. I nodded at them and clung to Natsuki's waist. We roared off in to the night.

When we got to her studio apartment, I let loose a sigh of relief as Natsuki came in after me and locked the door. Taking my shoes off and hanging up my jacket, I walked over to her couch and sank into it, the tension that I held in draining from me.

"So…" Natsuki began tentatively as she sat next to me.

I leaned over and put my head on her shoulder. "Kannin na, Natsuki. I wish I had told you sooner, but I just couldn't. Every time I close my eyes, there you were, battered and convulsing on the floor. I shudder to think what could have happened if I refused Tomoe."

Natsuki's arm wrapped around my shoulders. "It's okay, Zuru. When Koko told me that it is better for those with memory loss to gain that memory back themselves, I realized that you were partially trying to help. I was basically forcing you to relive a terrible experience and I am so, so, sorry." Remorse was heavy in her voice.

I raised my head and placed a kiss near Natsuki's healing burn on her neck. She tensed and hissed. I pulled back a little so I could look at her face. "I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?"

Natsuki's rueful chuckles reverberated through her body and her eyes sparkled warmly down at me. "No. The skin is still new so it's a little sensitive. It also doesn't help that you're tickling me." Her free hand pressed mine into her hard stomach through the layers of clothing that she wore. Somehow, I had snaked it under her sweater and was playing my fingers across the soft skin there. I loved the feel of her taut muscles under her silky skin and had fallen back into my habit of stroking her stomach.

I tried to pull my hand away and blushed, looking away. Natsuki tightened her hold on me and I felt her lean down. "You don't have to stop. I am yours, after all." Puffs of air hit my temple and her lips caressed the skin there.

Startled, I raised my eyes to hers. They were so close I could see my wide eyed face reflected in the deep pools of green. "You remembered?"

Instead of answering, her lips found mine and she pulled me into her body. My eyes fluttered closed at the slow, sensual contact that she created. Content in letting her lead on, I settled for pushing my free hand under her sweater to join the one already on her stomach. I circled them around and ran my fingers over the smooth skin on her back. She broke away and my heavy breaths hitched when she pulled at the collar of my turtle neck and went to work on my neck. Her exploring mouth sent sparks of fire through me.

I moaned as she found a sensitive spot and I dug my nails into her back. She stiffened and pulled away. "You have far too many clothes on." She growled out as she pulled her own sweatshirt off, revealing a thin strapped tank top.

I nodded; if she was willing to strip off one of her layers, then I was, too. She stilled and stared at my eyes as long as she could. As soon it was over my head, she took it gently out of my hands and tossed it to the floor. Once again she drew me into a deep kiss. Her hands held my head so softly. She let go to caress her hands over my body and I anchored myself to her with my arms around her neck. She gently shifted her weight and I followed.

Suddenly, the couch's cushions pressed into my back and Natsuki's body rested on mine. Grey slanted eyes flashed across my vision. I felt phantom hands roughly pull at my clothes and cruel teeth bite into my neck.

I gasped and snapped my eyes to her face, breaking the kiss. Natsuki had propped herself on her forearms, with her hands cradling the pillow under my head. The tips of her raven hair tickled my upper chest. Her eyes were studying me with a kind intensity. "Is this okay?" She asked softly.

Tears welled in my eyes. Why is she so kindhearted? I had essentially accused her of cheating and couldn't trust her enough to tell her about Tomoe. She was sporting numerous injuries and was suffering from short term amnesia. Yet here she was, worried that she had hurt me. My vision blurred as those tears fell.

I brought my hands to her face and stroked my fingers against her cheeks. "My dear Natsuki. You are wonderful beyond words."

She pulled her hands out from behind my pillow and sat back. Grasping my wrists, she kissed the underside of one and said, "I could never forget the terror in your eyes as you lay under her." Kissing the other in the same way, she then put each hand over her heart. "And I will never forgive myself for not getting to you before she hurt you. But I will try hard to erase her from your mind. If you will let me." She ended her softly spoken speech and looked at me with forlorn eyes.

It was too much. She was too much. I pulled my hands away from her chest and put them over my face as my body racked with my quiet sobs. She let me cry and shifted so she could pull me into a tight hug. I clung to her neck as I buried my face into her shoulder. Tender fingers brushed through my hair and light caresses played across my back.

"In many ways, my injuries are nothing compared to almost being kidnapped and raped twice. Three times, if you include those men from the beach. And yet you still give people that beautiful smile, even though you know they could hurt you. I am amazed by you every day." She pulled away to study my face and brushed away my tears with gentle hands. "You are so strong, Shizuru. It just makes me love you more." Her smooth husk was low and full of pride.

I giggled through my tears. Only Natsuki would sound like that while declaring her love. "Thank you, my fierce Natsuki." I gave her a tender kiss. "Tonight has been trying, and you have done a wonderful job comforting me, but you are exhausted. We should head to bed."

Natsuki blushed and hopped off the couch. I was tired emotionally and physically. After changing, I climbed into Natsuki's bed and waited for her to crawl in with me. She gave me a questioning look and I opened my arms. She snuggled into me and sighed, acting like a little puppy.

I combed through her soft hair with my fingers, and said, "I love you, too, my Natsuki."

She mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "It's cause I'm cute." And I smiled as I closed my eyes. That was certainly part of it.

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**AN: Yay! They're back together! What's going to happen next? I have no clue! Thank you all for the wonderful reviews and all of you who are favoriting the story and following it! **

**As always- Reviews are awesome!**


	11. Galatea

_AN: Thanks so much guys! I know not a lot of action in the last chapter but they had to rest. Oh and this chapter is the longest I have written so far. _

_As always Athena Sampaio has beta'd this and all mistakes you see are mine._

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_Galatea_

"So, Tomoe has a serious case of narcissism. Add that to her borderline personality disorder, and she's got one of the worst possible combinations of psychological problems a person can have." Shizuru spoke confidently, looking at each of us in turn. "Right now, I believe Tomoe may strike within the next couple of weeks. She is still sending me notes. But they have a pattern."

She picked up a stack of papers that were spread out in front of her. I could tell what she was going to say next troubled her. "About a week before Tomoe attacked me in the club, the tone of her letters switched from talking about my interviews to telling me the faults of the people around me, especially the women. And before the attempted abduction from my parent's house in Kyoto, her little presents were also targeting the women closest to me. She is doing it again. With one exception."

Shizuru abruptly stopped her speech, snapping her eyes to my face. They were swirling with suppressed emotions. Around the table, the others all busied themselves with shuffling their papers or watching Shizuru and me.

"Let me guess, she's finally realized what kind of relationship you and Misaki are in and is now demanding that you stay far away from me?" I spoke softly, flicking my black hair off my shoulder. The others in the room nodded slightly and Nao handed me a couple of copies of the most recent letters. I clenched my teeth as I read each note. Some of them even had pictures of Shizuru and me from the beach. How in the name of Heaven did I not see her? My right arm tingled. I rubbed at it slowly.

"Oh."

Shuzuru sighed. "Yes. Tomoe finds you to be the most threatening to her perceived control over me. She has always thought of you as a menace to my purity. If you continue to, ah, pursue me, she will devote more of her time to trying to get rid of you. While she has given me some warnings in the past about you, she hasn't overtly threatened you until now."

I gave an absent nod. I didn't need to mention the Masquerade. Shizuru still hates to talk about it. I think that Tomoe was hoping for an excuse to off me. She may have thought that Shizuru would have made a fuss and then she would have given the order to have me murdered right then and there. But Tomoe forgot that Shizuru is willing to sacrifice herself for a loved one so she quietly went with her, knowing that Tomoe was going to hurt her in some way.

"She's one crazy bitch. Tomoe believes you're her Galatea." Chie piped in, naming the statue that was brought to life from the kiss of her creator, Pygmalion. He had sculpted a statue so beautiful, that he had fallen in love with his own creation. He went to Aphrodite's temple to pray for the Greek goddess to breathe life into the statue. Aphrodite, moved by the tragic artist, graciously granted his wish.

The metaphor suited Shizuru. So many of her fans believed her to be a perfect woman due to her soft manners, sharp wit and of course her beauty. She has become so famous that she can't walk around Fuuka City without someone recognizing her.

"Fox, you've gotta stop being so perfect in public. Tomoe's probably too far gone, but idiots like the lady from Shinjuku or the guy from Ikebukuro will keep popping up. No offense, you're super hot and all that, but I still don't get why you have hordes of crazy fans. You have a serious flirting problem and speak in riddles half the time." She shook her head in mock disbelief. "Unless that's exactly why they're all crazy for you."

"Ara! I think Nao-chan is in denial. She's flirted with fewer of those strapping young men at the club recently. Perhaps she has finally succumbed to my charms." Everyone burst out laughing, glad that Shizuru could tease despite the most recent attack on her.

Nao jumped up and pointed across the table at Shizuru. "Damn succubus! You know full well why!"

I raised a brow. _Huh, are Nao and Shizuru like total girlfriends now? Sharing secrets, are we? _ The pair had grown close and their friendship was as unlikely as mine and Nao's. Rolling my head, I shot a questioning glance at my petite friend.

Since Nao wasn't going to elaborate, I stood up and forcibly shoved her back down into her seat. "Nao, you know she's only messing with you. Chill out." I shot a half-hearted glare at Shizuru, silently telling her to cool it with the jokes. She shrugged and looked away.

Sitting down again I studied Shizuru. She and I had another long discussion about her joining the team. I still had some doubts but Shizuru once again said that she needed to help, that she didn't want to keep feeling so vulnerable. Koika was totally for Shizuru being involved too. I was out voted and out reasoned. So I asked Reito if it was okay for Shizuru to join - he gave the ok since I had already broken one company rule: no fraternizing with your clients. Nao, Chie and Aoi absolutely loved the idea. Today was her first day on the job.

A couple of days ago, Shizuru and Koika had gotten together and created rudimentary psychological profiles of the types of people who would stalk her through her fan mail. Luckily, they hadn't turned up any others that were like Tomoe. They were creepy but harmless.

"Anyways, could you tell us why Tomoe having borderline personality disorder and narcissistic tendencies is so bad?" Aoi asked.

"Yes. As you know, Narcissists believe that they are the center of their world. They cannot view others as human beings. The people in a Narcissist's life are simply objects to prop them up. For example, lovers are there for pleasure and wealth in most cases. Once the lover becomes boring or useless to the Narcissist, they are cast aside. Because of this they have trouble empathizing with others." The musical voice stopped for a breath.

"Those with borderline personality disorder tend to only see in extreme blacks and whites. They cannot see the shades of gray that are a part of everyday life. People with BPD can have trouble forming relationships, but when they do, they are insecure in those bonds. They can also be highly manipulative."

Nao raised her hand and asked. "Aren't these two personality disorders like complete opposites of each other then? Wouldn't they cancel each other out?"

Shizuru shook her head, her tawny waves rippling. "No, in fact, they can amplify certain aspects of each other. For instance, Tomoe wants me because she sees me exactly as her Galatea." She gave Chie a nod. "The Narcissist in her sees me as something to possess, and the BPD emphasizes my good qualities, making me even more desirable in her eyes."

She grimaced and looked at me. "She thought she had me. But suddenly, someone came between us. And I have become deeply attached to this person, something that she never expected to happen. The beautiful statue that she thought only she could have has begun to move. Her Galatea has become human. So she seeks to destroy her rival now because she wants me to stay a statue, an idol."

"Damn." Chie whistled. "Shizuru, that was poetic. I think that you're the only person who could make a psychological diagnosis sound pretty."

"Sonova bitch." I breathed. Now that Tomoe is gunning for me, I could be putting Shizuru in more danger than she already was.

"Natsuki, did you have something to add?" Shizuru asked sweetly. There was a hint of danger in her voice, though.

I jumped and turned to her. "N-nothing, Zuru. I was just thinking that I should not be your bodyguard any longer."

Four pairs of eyes blinked and stared at me, all in various degrees of shock.

"Don't be stupid Natsuki. You are the best trained bodyguard we have. That's why Reito put you in charge in the first place. Besides, Shizuru is closer to you than anyone here. You should be with her." Chie said sharply.

I opened my mouth to protest, but Shizuru spoke up softly. "I would not wish for another, Chie. You all must remember that Tomoe does not realize that Misaki and Natsuki is the same person, yet. She is only aware of Misaki's romantic relationship with me." She said the last part while pinning me to my seat with narrowed eyes. They were a deep, glittering crimson.

_Uh-oh, I pissed her off. _ I thought, startled by their intensity. _Well I did blindside her._

"Shizuru." Her eyes softened slightly at my tone. "I would love to stay on as your bodyguard. But I could be putting you into more danger." I gave her an apologetic look.

Shizuru's eyes widened at my expression. She blinked and shook her head, chuckling. "Well, considering that Tomoe's efforts have been thwarted so far, I'd say you've done an exceptional job. I thank you for allowing me to stay at your apartment while I re-locate."

Her eyes disappeared behind long lashes and when they emerged again, they were a playful burgundy. I sucked in a breath - those eyes were dangerous. "It is quite invigorating to be woken up by Natsuki. That sinful voice of hers is devilishly hard to ignore." Her own honeyed tones dipped seductively and I remembered what had happened this morning when I woke her up. I would have to agree that it was invigorating.

I burned red at the memory and hid my face behind my midnight hair. Nao burst out laughing, slapping her hand on the table. Chie and Aoi giggled furiously.

_Yeah, Yeah. Yuck it up, guys. _Slowly, their laughs died down to chuckles. Everyone was tense because of the destruction of Shizuru's apartment. The team took it personally that her location was found so soon. Shizuru's crack about my voice was small but it was a tease none the less and an indication that she was once again bouncing back from a stressful situation.

Shizuru spoke to everyone in the room. "I should like it if Natsuki were to carry on as Misaki, ladies. Even though Tomoe is a little suspicious of Natsuki in school, we are rarely seen together outside campus. Tomoe is smart enough to figure out that Misaki and Natsuki are one and the same. I do not think that it is wise to make Tomoe want to investigate Natsuki further. Let her chase after the fictional character."

"I agree, Shizuru-san. A good tactic if I must say so. If anything, she has provided some of your fans with some, ah, eye-candy. She's a great distraction." Aoi concurred, amusement evident in her perky voice.

Chie spoke up with waggling eyebrows. "Yum. I bet Natsuki tastes delicious."

"Chie!" Aoi, Nao and I shouted.

"Ara, Chie's correct. Natsuki does have a sugary taste." Shizuru reported helpfully. "It's most likely due to all of those American sweets that she is so fond of." She added with a shrug.

I glared at her. She grinned.

"Oh, do tell." Aoi wanted all the juicy details. Nao was pretending to throw up in her huge cup of coffee. And I was trying my hardest to disappear. The others were looking back and forth between Shizuru and me with curious expressions on their faces. Nope, not invisible yet. Damn.

"Okay, ladies! We have a lot to do still. Aoi and Chie - I want you two to work on more background. Nao - those proxies are all yours. Now that Shizuru is on board we should have better access to private records." I shouted, blushing. I needed to stop this conversion before Shizuru decided to reveal more about our relationship than I would like. Like our recent intimate encounters.

"I'll definitely -" Chie started with a suggestive gesture that was stopped when Aoi grabbed her hands.

"Chie, say one more word and no sex for a week."

* * *

A couple days after the meeting I walked up the steps of the hotel that Shizuru was staying at. It was our day off so we decided to pull a study date. Shizuru and I had agreed that it would be safer for the both of us if Shizuru didn't stay at my place as often. The risk of someone following her to my apartment was too high. So, she booked a hotel room for about three weeks and she moved the majority of her new wardrobe into the room. Plus, the hotel was in a relatively secure area. All of the doors were locked after midnight. Staff had their key cards and the guests used their room keys to get in.

Since Shizuru and her family were well known in Fuuka City, it was not that hard to convince the hotel's management to allow for a couple of odd requests. One was that the front desk and operator were not allowed to send any phone calls to Shizuru's room. It is way too easy for someone to trace the call to a specific room and I wasn't going to risk that Tomoe hadn't thought of that tactic. We also asked that housekeeping only allowed a small number of people access to the room. The general manager was naturally upset about the idea - he thought that we didn't trust the staff members. I explained that the staff could be trusted, but since the hotel has an army of maids it is easy for a master key card to get lost. Once that was smoothed over we also asked that surveillance take extra precaution by following her progress whenever she moves through the hotel. If they found anyone suspicious around her they were to immediately contact the guards.

My book bag was heavy with my textbooks and my ever present sketchbook. Since the end of the semester was coming closer and closer, Shizuru and I had loads of studying to do. Luckily for me, I was able to write all of my term papers while I was waiting to get back to work and I just needed to study for my tests. If I passed then I would finally be able to get my elusive Bachelor's Degree. Since the FBI recruited me as a student, I had to stay with them through the duration of my senior year in order to graduate. Well, I was kicked out of the Bureau about six months later, so no degree.

Finally making it up to Shizuru's room, I pulled my key out of my pocket and slid it through the reader. The lock released with a click and I quietly pushed into the room. Once inside I heard the sound of the shower running. I glanced at my watch: it was 10 am. Raising a brow at the bathroom door, I padded to the small table that was snuggled in the far corner of Shizuru's room. Because she was so busy, Shizuru almost always slept in on her days off. Dumping my bag on the table and shrugging off my leather jacket to reveal my fitted tee shirt, I opened the curtains a crack and squinted against the glare of the early morning sun. I tossed the jacket on the unused bed and bent to pull off my boots. Setting them neatly by the foot of the bed, I moved back to the table, sat down and pulled out my sketchbook.

I was just about done with the shading on my newest sketch when the bathroom door clicked open.

"Ara! What a pleasant surprise! Natsuki had agreed to meet me much later than twenty after ten." She sounded surprised and happy. "Perhaps it is because she wanted to catch a glimpse of something, no?" She added with a hint of a husk.

I stiffened, oh I totally wanted to see Shizuru naked but that would lead to some other activities that were not academic. "Um, yeah I thought that I would wake you up but I guess I was a little late." I stared down at my almost completed sketch.

Cloth rustled and I dropped my pencil to grip at the arms of the chair. Ever since that night on the couch when we almost had sex, I have been more aware of her flirting, her body movement, her everything; it just wasn't fair. Tomoe had taken so much from her and she was so vulnerable. It hurt when she stiffened under me and looked up at me with those huge scared eyes. So whenever I woke her up, I made it a point to touch her where Tomoe had left her marks. As if my touch would heal Shizuru. But it was the only thing I could think of.

"Perhaps I should have stayed in bed then." She sounded disappointed. Lithe arms wrapped around my neck. A bed sheet wrapped around me, fluttering against the table and I felt warm soft lips press into my neck. I gulped. "Natsuki's methods of waking me up are most unusual and most appreciated." The dulcet tones of her voice were warm and so sultry.

I arched my neck so she could have better access. "You still naked?"

She chuckled against my neck. "And what if I was?"

I sucked in a breath as she nibbled at my ear. "Because I want you so bad it hurts. And I won't do anything about it until you are ready."

Shizuru stopped her ministrations and her warmth left me. "I am sorry Natsuki. That was cruel of me. I am dressed - it is safe to turn around." All of the playful seduction left and sorrow replaced it.

_Damn it._

I growled and spun out of the chair to face Shizuru for the first time since I got here. And froze, stunned at what I saw. She was so beautiful and sad that I wanted to race over and make her happy so the world would feel right again. Her red eyes were shimmering with unshed tears, making them look like bottomless pools. Even with those sorrowful eyes watching me, her chin was still high and proud. She waited for me to say something.

I smiled at her and leaned against the chair, relaxing my posture. "Do you really have clothes under there?" I asked with a nod towards her choice of apparel.

She blinked. "Ara. Natsuki isn't going to accept my apology? Ikezu."

I shook my head. "As far as I am concerned you have nothing to apologize for."

She gave me a dubious look. "But…"

"Look, Zuru. You are so gorgeous that you should not be allowed in public without a certain amount of clothes on." I watched her as she began to crack, the corners of her mouth were twitching up and her eyes were beginning to brighten. "I am seriously considering starting a petition about that. You," I pointed at her dramatically. "Dear lady, are a public menace, addling people's brains… causing grown men to walk into telephone poles… teenaged boys to act like proper gentlemen…" I brought my hand down and shook my head. "I don't even want to know what could happen if you were to walk into a high school with one of your favorite skirts…" I trailed off, knowing that her favorite skirts were of the 'mini' variety, and then added "We must protect our youth from your devious ways." I struck a superhero pose.

Silvery laughter erupted from the bed. Shizuru was cracking up, and she folded, clutching at her sides. I grinned and stepped over to the bed. Crossing my arms I watched as she laughed and cried at the same time.

"I should be upset at Natsuki for taking this so lightly." She said through her giggles. "But I understand what she is saying." She paused and looked up, not at all startled that I had moved. "She likes being teased in such a way, yes?" I nodded. "But I still feel as though I pushed too far."

I sighed and said, "Princess, did I tell you at any point to stop?"

"No. But you were so tense - I thought I had upset you."

I chuckled. "Yea I was tense but that was because I was holding on to the chair for dear life. If I let go, then I probably would have taken you right then and there. And only for my pleasure. That is not what I would have wanted our first time to be like."

Shizuru's eyes widened and she blushed a pretty pink through her golden skin. "Oh."

I bent down and placed my arms on either side of her. I had to put a knee on the bed so I could get close enough to her face. "Perhaps milady would allow me a small taste, then?" I murmured, giving her my biggest puppy eyes.

She softened and smiled. "Thank you for asking."

I grinned and leaned in. Before I could kiss her she stopped me with her fingers to my lips and I whined in my throat.

"You didn't have to pull out the puppy eyes, Natsuki." She chided me with amusement before she slid her arms around my neck and pulled me down to meet my lips with her own. Little bolts of pleasure were sent from her lips through my body. Usually, Shizuru's kisses are full of passion and fire, despite their softness. This one was coaxing, teasing; almost like she wanted me to take over. So I did.

I pulled the rest of my body up on the bed so I could free my hands. Shizuru still had her arms fully around my neck, her hands twinning through my hair and fingers stroking at the back of my neck. Partially straddling her, because she was sitting on her knees, I slowly pushed my hands through the folds of her sheet.

I pulled back slightly and whispered. "Seizo," naming the polite way one would sit when kneeling.

"Shut up," She husked and leaned in again. I resumed my exploration for her body. As my hands were searching I ran my tongue over Shizuru's top lip, asking for entry. Her mouth opened and I gently pushed past her lips to explore. She let out a soft moaning sigh then stiffened when my hands found the smooth skin of her hips.

I broke the kiss and chuckled when my fingers hit the lace of her underwear. "You sure are something else, Zuru."

I let my fingers trace the skin along the lace to her lower back and she shivered. "Natsuki did come into my room while I was in the shower after all. I thought to tease her mercilessly until she blushed that cute shade of red, but alas she has managed to turn the tables." She said with a wry humor in her low voice.

I stared at her playful burgundies then just started to crack up. "Zuru, am I going to find a bra or are you going to have to save me from my imagination?"

She tucked in her head and pushed me further up the bed, so my back bumped against the wall at its head. Then, she scooted closer so she could sit on my lap. Her eyes darkened further, humor giving way to a deep need. Her arms disappeared under her sheet and her fingers found my hands. Grasping them, she guided them so my fingers would trail up her long torso. When they brushed against her belly button ring, she closed her eyes and gasped. I simply watched, fascinated by the play of emotion that flitted across her features. Fear and sorrow fought against desire and love. The burgundies opened again and she guided them further up her body, gently moved them so I could feel the soft mounds of her breasts under the pads of my fingers. I let loose a soft growling moan as she guided my hands all the way up so I could feel her hard nipples under my palms. She arched her back slightly pushing her flesh further into my palms. Her arms once again found their way around my neck and the sheet finally slid off her body to pool around our waists. I fought to keep my eyes on her face.

_Don't look down… _

I looked down at my hands resting on her breasts and I think my brain just exploded from the sensory overload.

"I do believe that they are real, yes?" She asked, in a breathy voice.

I forced my eyes back up to safer ground and slid my hands down to grasp at her hips. "Holy shit." Yup, that wasn't the smoothest thing that I could have said but those two words pretty much summed up my thought processes.

She chuckled deep in her throat. "Thank you, my fierce, gentle Natsuki." She pressed into me and gave me a short kiss. "I think that I should get changed now. We should order room service for lunch, no?"

I nodded dumbly as she climbed off me and sauntered into the bathroom. I shook myself, trying to calm down. She said that I had turned the tables on her, but what she had just done to my hands totally trumps anything that I had done to her. Something snapped into focus. She just thanked me for something. I was in the middle of thinking about it when hands covered my eyes.

"Zuru! I was trying to think!"

The hands disappeared and a weight fell on my back. "About what?" Shizuru asked softly, her breaths caressing my neck. It was a comfortable feeling, and I had no trouble pushing back the wave of desire I felt.

I leaned into her. "Why did you thank me?"

"I know exactly what you have been trying to do when you wake me up. You are too kind to try. But it is something that I have to overcome on my own, sweet Natsuki." She squeezed me into a hug.

I brought a hand up and placed it on her arm. "I had to try something, Zuru. It hurt to see you so shattered and scared."

"Ara. What next?" She asked sadly.

I turned and hugged her. "The next step is to rid you of Tomoe, and then we can go from there. And you've just proven to me that you are not made of stone."

She laughed and pulled away. "So, do you still want lunch?"

My stomach answered for me, it grumbled in anticipation of the great food that I was going to fill it with. I flushed and patted at it with my hand.

"That must be an overwhelming yes. Perhaps our earlier activities worked up Natsuki's appetite, yes?"

Spinning off the bed to face Shizuru, I held up my hands in surrender. "I give in to the master…" I let the rest of my sentence die as I took in her outfit for the day. Cocking my head to the side, I asked. "Exercise clothes?"

"Yes. Mai and I are going to take advantage of the hotel's wonderful facilities. She is due to arrive in," She glanced at the clock. "About an hour and a half."

I snorted and shook my head. "Still can't believe that you can make a pair of shorts and a tank top look hot." I muttered as I pulled open the heavy curtains all the way.

"Ara, isn't the old saying, 'the clothes don't wear you-you wear them'?" Shizuru asked.

I whirled and grabbed my sketch book off the table. I pointed at her with a halfhearted glare and asked, "What? Do you have super hearing, too?" Before marching over to the bed and flinging myself on it, my hands stretched over my head, and my sketch book clasped between them.

Propping my head in my hand, I watched Shizuru giggle and walk over to the entertainment stand. She opened the second drawer under the TV and hauled out her heavy criminal psychology book. Then she smoothly turned and plopped it on the foot of my bed, continuing to move to the head of her bed and bending over to grab her two pillows.

I followed her every move and ran my gaze over her body. Suddenly a pillow smacked me in the face. "Wha-!" I yelped as I pulled it off me and glowered at Shizuru.

She stood at the side of my bed, one hand on her cocked hip and the other holding the second pillow. "Natsuki, we've talked about you staring at me like that. I told you I can feel it when you do that. You know exactly what it does to me but you still do it." She said with annoyance evident in her voice.

"Sorry." I shot her a big innocent look. I had totally forgotten that I affected her like that. I pushed her pillow up to the head board and scooted to maneuver my own pillows into place. All the while I kept my eyes down.

Shizuru made a scoffing noise and her pillow flashed into view. The bed shifted as her weight hit it. "I shouldn't get upset with you about it, because I love it when you give me that look. Did you know that you broke through all of my defenses when you first did that to me?" She asked.

I shook my head, wondering where this all came from. "You didn't even have to touch me, but the force of your eyes was almost physical. Then you flowed toward me, circled me like some sort of wild animal. And when you brought my eyes to meet yours, they were powerful and warm, like an emerald fire. I wish that I could wrap myself in that fire and stay there, safe from everything." She paused and leaned into her pillows to look down on me. "It is highly frustrating that I can't do that just yet."

I nodded, turned and leaned against the head board, mirroring Shizuru. I reached out and grabbed Shizuru's hand. Gently pulling it up to my lips, I brushed them against her knuckles. "Don't worry, dear lady, the snake shall be chased away."

Shizuru giggled and withdrew her hand. "You are terrible, Natsuki. It is difficult to believe that you don't know how to flirt. You are a natural."

A knock sounded at the door and a male voice spoke loudly through the door. "Room Service."

I swung off the bed and waved Shizuru to stay there. She shook her head but smiled, and I was thankful for her endless patience. She raised a brow when I reached down and pulled a knife from its ankle sheath. I shrugged as I stalked to the door. It's good to be prepared.

I took a quick peek out the eyehole and saw a young man standing patiently in front of the door. I raised my voice. "Could you take a couple steps back from the door, please?" I asked.

When he did, I flattened my body against the wall and slowly pulled the door open. He looked at me with startled eyes. "Um Fujino-sama?" He asked politely, as if he didn't believe that I was her.

"No. I am one of her guards. I can take the food." I said.

He shook his head and straightened. "I am sorry ma'am but my orders are that I am to give the food directly to Fujino-sama…" he trailed off as the door was opened all the way.

"Ara. What a strong commitment to your duty…" she said, stepping in front of me. She tilted her head to the side, silently asking him for his name.

The poor guy looked scared and he bowed very low. "Nakamura Daisuke!" He half shouted.

"Oh, dear! Such vigor! Thank you so much for the food Daisuke-kun." She stepped further into the hall, causing him to straighten. His face was beat red. "Allow me to give you a tip." She said warmly, her musical tones deepening into a seductive range.

I raised an eyebrow. It isn't customary to give out tips and besides that, why the hell was she flirting with him?

"Ye-Yes, ma'am!" He stuttered out and held out his hand.

She bypassed the hand and gave him a sultry peck on the cheek. His eyes rolled back in his head and he dropped fainted dead away.

"Zuru, I think you killed him. Are you sure you're not a succubus?" I asked blithely, as I picked up the tray and walked back in the room with it. On the way back out I grabbed a towel from the bathroom and soaked it in cold water.

"No, I don't feed on people's souls." She ran her gaze over me and added lightly. "I do take Natsuki's wits from time to time. I am surprised that she is still capable of thinking."

I shook my head as I bent down to wipe down the guys face. "Nope. You don't take them, they see you coming and run for the hills. They only return when they think it's safe." I glanced at her and rolled my eyes. "You should head back into the room. The poor guy is going to be embarrassed that a girl caused him to faint."

She pouted. "I only wanted to tease him."

Luckily for all of us I was able to revive him and he went about his merry way, after I threatened to rip his balls off if he told anyone on the staff about his encounter with Shizuru. If word got around the hotel that Shizuru's tips were actually kisses, there would be a mess.

Lunch was yummy and I was able to start on my sketch. I just couldn't get the image of Shizuru wrapped up in the bed's linen out of my head. So I drew her, emerging from a lake. Instead of linen wrapped around her, it was water, swirling around her, and slowly revealing more skin as it ran down her body.

Shizuru kept shooting me glances from over the top of her textbook but I was too wrapped up in my drawing to give her an answer. In no time at all, Mai's cheerful voice echoed through the door and I let her in.

At her mildly disappointed face I grinned. "Aw. I am hurt, Mai. Don't you like me?"

Mai stuttered. "Y-yeah! Of course I like you! I was just hoping that Misaki-kun was here." She clamped her hand over her mouth and flushed. "Sorry, Shizuru-san."

Shizuru blinked and gave us a devilish smile. "Oh, it is okay. I am well aware that Misaki gets a lot of attention because of his looks. I don't think he is very much aware of it, though. I apologize for him in advance if he unintentionally leads you on."

Mai sighed. "He is just so handsome and kind. The girls at the club all have crushes on him. Well, except Nao-chan of course."

Shizuru giggled and tossed and arm around her friend. "Mai-chan is so cute. Let us go to the gym and see how many young men hit on her." She led Mai out the door and down the hall.

I chuckled and moved back to the table to gather up my things. I was going to catch up with them so I could ask Mai for a favor. After I left the room, I padded down the carpeted hallway. The small gym was easy to find and I noticed that it was separated from the hall by a large window. A small group of men were looking in on the two occupants of the room. I looked over their heads and saw Mai and Shizuru running on the treadmills. They had taken off their shirts, and their torsos were glistening with sweat.

I stopped behind the men, crossed my arms and narrowed in on Shizuru's form. Damn it all, she was too gorgeous. I ran my eyes over her then travelled over to the mirror that she was facing and I watched her belly ring glint as she moved. Uninvited, the memory of her soft gasp and the feel of her under my hands rose up in my memories. My breaths started to shorten and heat flew to my cheeks. Shizuru made a short movement with her hands and I shot my eyes up to meet hers through the mirror. Her eyes sparkled with amusement and her polite smile widened slightly when she realized that she was holding my gaze. Never turning, she mouthed 'Ookini' at me. I burned up and stiffened. Her eyes were laughing at me now and I had to stifle a growl. Stupid hormones.

I let out an exasperated huff and forced my gaze away from my sexy girlfriend, remembering the morons who were currently drooling over her and Mai. I cleared my throat and crossed my arms. "Gentlemen, I seriously hope that you all are going to be moving on shortly."

One of them turned towards me and asked, "Honey, why don't you join them?" while running his eyes up and down my body.

"Sorry, darling." I said with derision, "but the ladies in there are trying to enjoy themselves. Please go be a pervert somewhere else." I slid my book bag off my back. It landed with a soft plunk on the carpet. I was frustrated and these assholes were just waiting to be pummeled.

I pointed to Mai. "The red head happens to be a friend of mine and you're scaring her." I lowered my head and glared at them. "I don't like it when my friends get scared."

"Fuck off lady. Unless you want to have some fun with me." Another peeled his eyes away from Shizuru's ass to give me a once over.

I growled. "See her?" I pointed at Shizuru, who was eyeing the men through the mirror on the back wall with wariness etched on the planes of her face. The four men nodded. "She's pretty famous and she could have called security on your nasty asses." They started to protest. I raised my voice. "But…she's too polite to cause a scene."

One of the men moved and put a heavy hand on my shoulder. I looked down at the man's arm and back up at him. "You see, I am not so polite. And you have just given me the excuse to cause a scene." I laced my words with a low growling threat.

Without giving him a chance to think I flowed into motion, whipping my opposite hand over the top of his and peeling it off my shoulder by digging my fingers into the fleshy part of his palm. My other hand came down hard and fast on his elbow, causing him to cry out. Quickly, I pulled him into me and rammed my knee into his groin. He went down with a thump and his pal tried to tackle me. His movement was wild and uncontrolled so I could easily throw him off balance by sidestepping him and sticking out my foot to trip him. He stumbled over his friend, who was currently clutching at his crotch in a fetal position on the floor, and fell on his face.

The other two decided that it would be better to attack in tandem. They crept up to me and they circled around my back. I turned to watch them and backed into the glass of the gym. The door clicked open on my right and I quickly moved over to shove Shizuru back inside the room. A hand grabbed my hair, jerking my head back, painfully. I cried out and grabbed at my capture's hand. Back peddling into him, I eyed the other man, who was bearing down on us. I went limp and then drove a quick snapping kick into his stomach. He ran straight into it and fell with a muffled 'oof.'

Focusing on the man behind me, I stepped a little to the side and quickly jabbed my elbow into his ribs a couple times then slammed the heel of my boot on the top of his foot. He loosened his hold on me and I was able to chop his hand off me then grabbed his other hand-still tangled a bit in my hair - spinning him into an arm bar.

"Give up yet?" I asked.

He was saved from an answer when a couple of security guards ran into the hall and shouted at us to stop. I dropped my captive and stepped away, smoothing out my tee shirt. I glanced at the gym - Mai was looking at me in awe, and Shizuru looked calm but for her eyes; they were spitting red fire. I winced and mouthed a sorry at her. She shook her head slightly and pointed at the two guards.

I walked over to the guards. "So, am I in trouble?" I asked innocently.

"You sure are missy. Can you wait until the police arrive?"

_Shit._

"Yeah." I said softly, and leaned up against the wall.

* * *

The cell that I was staying in was an isolated one. The police decided to keep me out of the general population holding cell after a couple of women tried to take my pendant and my shirt along with it. The tee shirt and the two women were somewhat worse for wear after that.

The cell was used for people on suicide watch. As such, it had nothing to hang on to and even the bars of the inner door of the cell were on the other side of a thick sheet of Plexiglas. They had given me a kit that consisted of a thin pallet, a blanket and a small pillow. Those I had tossed on the floor furthest away from the hole that served as the toilet.

Shizuru was still back at the hotel, trying to get the surveillance footage to the police. She had insisted on following me down to the police station but I wanted her to stay at the hotel. What had convinced her was that Mai, who was still a little shaken, needed a comforting hand while she calmed down. I paced the cell and fingered at the torn collar of my shirt. I wasn't allowed a new one since I was only supposed to be in here until the incident at the hotel was cleared up.

I looked at the camera and asked if I could get my phone call. I wasn't going to call my aunts, who were currently touring way up north in Nikko - the famous temple town. Nao was out of the question- she'd just laugh and hang up on me. Mai was probably too scared. Shizuru would probably listen. I hope.

The outer cell door opened and a rough looking police officer poked his head in. "Come on little lady, you can have your phone call. Put your hands out through the window." I did so and he cuffed me. "Step away from the door now." I followed my orders without a sound. The bars swung forward and he gestured me outside the cell.

He lightly held on to my arm, escorting me to the public phones. "So, how did a pretty thing like you end up here? We don't really see many like you often."

I shrugged. "I beat up a group of guys who were ogling my girlfriends. One of them is staying at the nice hotel down by the water and they like to use the gym. It's open so people walking down the hall can see through the glass. My friends are very nice to look at, especially when they are working out."

He whistled. "Oh boy."

"Yup. I did ask the men to leave but they didn't want to listen to lil' ole me. One of the brutes tried to get rough with me, so I just had to defend myself." I affected a coy look and batted my eyelashes up at him. It was something that I would almost never do spontaneously, but I've seen Nao and Shizuru do it often enough when they wanted to tease the men around them.

He blinked down at me then threw back his head and a laugh bubbled up from his gut. "Oh, little miss, you are quite the character." Well, that wasn't the desired effect but what the hell, he did laugh.

The burly guard pointed at the line of phones and said, "Good luck. I don't wanna keep you in here for very long."

_Oh, I am totally gonna need it._ I gave him a grin and said, "Thanks big guy. You're not so bad yourself."

I sat down at the furthest one, and nervously picked up the receiver. I quickly dialed the number of the hotel and waited. The automated machine picked up and I hit Shizuru's room number. When I heard it ring two times I hit the switch on the phone and redialed the hotel. Shizuru picked up on the third ring.

"_Natsuki - what the hell?" _Shizuru's dulcet tones were laced with angry fire.

"Um, hey Shizuru. Look, I'm sorry. I wasn't looking for a fight I was just coming down to ask Mai a favor before I headed home." I said quietly.

"_Not good enough, Natsuki. I can't believe that you picked a fight like that just because those men were looking at us. You know that happens to me everywhere I go." _

I winced. "No, you're right. I asked them to leave and they wouldn't listen. A couple of them had begun to harass me, too."

Shizuru heaved a sigh. "_You have to remember that people here would treat you differently. You are a beautiful young woman who looks and speaks like a foreigner. In the social order of things, you should be deferential to them. Because of your manners, they had to show each other that they would not bow to a girl. In this case, you should have politely told them to leave or we would call security on them." _

"Oh. Right. Cause in the States the guys would have teased me a little then bugged off because I ruined their peep show." I matched Shizuru's sigh.

"_Right. And on top of that, it was highly unprofessional to goad one of them into touching you so you could start a fight on grounds of self-defense!" _Holy crap, she freaking scares me sometimes.

"And how would you have guessed that?" I asked innocently.

"_Because I watched you put your bag down and go into your 'I'm going to kick your ass' stance, Natsuki. And you didn't move until one of them put his hand on your shoulder." _She said as she sounded more irritated. _"What's worse is that Mai is starting to make a connection. She says that you two move too much alike when you fight." _ She was being vague on purpose because the police station was most likely recording my call. That's my Zuru: even when she was pissed off at me, she was savvy enough not to let on that I dress up as a boy sometimes.

_Shit, Shit, Shit, Shiiittt!_

I rubbed my face and banged my head on the metal shelf that was under the telephone. "Is she doing okay? She looked pretty nervous."

"_She is well. She insisted that we come bail you out. She didn't want you to stay the night in jail." _She paused. _"I was all for you staying by the way. You are damn lucky that you are a Japanese citizen, Natsuki. If you were an American citizen, the authorities could have had your visa revoked and they wouldn't blink twice about sending you back to the States. I have heard of people getting sent back for far less and when Japan says that you aren't allowed back in the country for a certain amount of time, they really are politely telling you that you are no longer welcome here." _Her voice had gone softer, losing some of its fire. She sounded like a lost little girl and it broke me.

"Zuru, please don't cry." I pleaded with her in my smoothest voice.

A cough came from behind me and I leaned my head back to find my big officer looking at me. "You got a minute, missy. Time to wrap it up."

I switched to English and said softly. "Love you, Zuru. I gotta go."

"_Oh, My Natsuki. I love you too. Please be careful while we come get you."_ She replied in kind.

_Too late for that, Princess._ I thought with a grimace. "I will. See ya later." I hung up the phone before she could reply. I'd ask her how she figured out that I was a Japanese citizen later.

The big man waited politely while I stood up and turned. He put his hand out, gesturing back to my temporary cell. "Special someone?" He asked as he walked beside me. This time he decided to leave his hand off my upper arm.

I glanced up at him. "How'd you guess that?"

He uttered a short chortling sound. "Little missy, you are all hard edges. Sharp like glass ya know?" He carried on. "Even when you are nice, you still have this look in your eye. You are one scary lady. But I noticed that you softened a little while you were talking to whoever you were talking to. I couldn't see your face but I could tell. Experience, ya know?"

I chuckled. "That person is the only one who makes me feel weak in the knees." We reached my cell and he went about the process of closing the cell door and pulling off my cuffs. When he reached up to push the heavy steel outer door shut, I quickly asked, "Can you keep that door open? It gets too quiet in here."

The burly man shook his head. "Sorry. If I do it for you, I gotta do it for the others. You sure as heck don't need the extra door, but the others do."

I nodded. He shot me a look of apology then shut the door as gently as he could. Now that I knew someone was coming for me, I staved off my boredom by going through some of my training routine. Moving from stance to stance, I threw a couple punches and kicks. Then I slowed down to work on my holds. Grabbing at an invisible opponent with one hand, the other formed a tight blade. Slow and tense, my clawed hand pulled back into my body while the bladed one pushed out. I let my breath out with a hiss. Obviously, the slow movement was not useful in battle but what it does is teach focus and control.

Repeating the maneuver a couple more times, I worked up a bit of a sweat. I ended my final slow technique by pausing and slowly relaxing the muscles in my arms and stomach. Then in a flurry of movement I went through some of my favorite Katas-a designed set of movements that teach the fighter how to move, combining defense and offense into a fierce and beautiful dance. Finishing the final Kata with a throw I slowly pushed back to a straight posture and then bowed at the center of the room.

Whistling and clapping echoed through my cell. I swiveled my head towards the door and saw that the outer one was open. Shizuru and Mai were standing with my big police officer. Mai was staring at me, mouth opened while Shizuru's expression was schooled into a warm smirk and the burly man was grinning from ear to ear.

"Come on little lady - these two have come with evidence and the higher ups have decided that you are only a threat to morons." He said with a hearty laugh.

"Oh, yay. Are you gonna cuff me until I get to booking?" I asked wryly.

Shizuru spoke up. "There's no need, Natsuki. They've dropped all charges and you only have to sign a couple of papers once we get to the lobby."

"Sweet. Thanks guys. I owe you one."

We walked through the jail, past the holding cells. Mai cowered into Shizuru's side at the catcalls and jeering comments sent our way. Shizuru had her head held high and she was no doubt smiling politely at the people in the cells while covering her discomfort.

Finally, we passed through the barred doors into the lobby of the police station. I did not bring anything except my ID and the clothes off my back so the paperwork was easy to complete.

The big officer, whose name was Kousuke, shook my hand and joked that I was the best behaved inmate in the jail. We all laughed and then Mai, Shizuru and I left the jail.

We made it up to the hotel room in relative silence. I sat down on the bed that I had occupied earlier and Shizuru sat on the bed next to me, her legs crossed in front of her. Mai sat down on Shizuru's bed and began to babble about how exciting the day turned out to be. She was probably trying to break the tension between Shizuru and me.

When she excused herself to the bathroom, Shizuru grabbed my damaged collar and pulled me into a fierce kiss. When she pulled back, she gave me a little shake and asked, "Why is Natsuki's shirt ripped? And why was she placed in a _suicide watch_ cell?" She hissed. "Did I not tell her to be careful?"

"Sorry, Zuru. The girls in general population thought that I was an easy target and attacked me." I said softly, and brought my hand up to tangle in her hair. I leaned in and placed a kiss on her forehead. "One of them saw my necklace and tried to rip it off. She got a fist full of the shirt before I was able to get her off me."

She was clearly still upset but her grip on my collar loosened and she slid her hand to my shoulder.

"Natsuki…"

Mai stepped out of the bathroom. "What's going on here?"

Shizuru let her hand fall from its place on my shoulder and we both turned to Mai. Her pretty face was scrunched up in a look of confusion. She pointed at me "You..." then her finger moved to Shizuru "and you…are..?" She gestured helplessly.

Shizuru stood up and spoke in her musical tones. "Mai-chan? Could you sit down for a moment?"

Mai nodded in a daze and moved to sit at the side of Shizuru's bed. Shizuru moved back to her position on my bed, but sat a little further away from me than before. "I don't know what to say, really. You two are always super close on campus." She paused and her hand shot to her mouth to hide her gasp. "What about Misaki-kun?" She asked her, eyes wide and slightly angry. "Shame on you, Shizuru-san! I thought better of you!"

I almost had to laugh at the ridiculous nature of the situation. I shot Shizuru a questioning look, silently asking her if it was okay for me to reveal my, ah, other half. She gave me a little shrug and winked She was all in. Turning to Mai, I studied her for a couple seconds. "Mai, you've always wanted Misaki to kiss you, right?"

Mai was thrown by the sudden change of topics. "Y-yeah. But what has that got to do with this?"

"Could you close your eyes, please?"

Mai gave me a suspicious look, but closed them at my warm smile.

I moved in, softly grasped her hand and brought it up to my lips. "Thank you for being so kind to me, Princess Mai." I spoke in the deepest register of my vocal range. Then I kissed her knuckles and replaced her hand. She gasped and I quickly added, "Please keep your eyes closed, princess."

Retreating back to my original position on the bed I ignored the annoyed look that Shizuru was giving me and stared at Mai. Her face was beat red. "You can open them now, Mai." I said in my usual husk.

"Holy…" Mai breathed and stared at me with a wide eyed expression. "I-I thought you and Misaki-kun were like related or something! I mean, you look too much alike and you even move similarly!" She looked at Shizuru, "So that time at the apartment…" If anything her face turned a brighter shade of red as she trailed off and looked away.

"Ara! Mai-san must be thinking perverted things. But nothing happened. I had received an unpleasant package in the mail and Natsuki stayed over for extra security." Shizuru sang out.

"Okay…" Mai said, and then her expression changed. "Oh. My. God. Ohmygod!" She jumped up and pointed at us. "Argh! This is so not cool! I totally fell for an awesome boy and he turns out to be a girl who is the body guard of my friend! On top of the fact that they are lovers - they are ridiculously gorgeous, sweet, and smart. It's like I am watching a real life fairy tale." She paused for a breath. "Who writes this stuff?" Mai finished her rant and sat down with a heavy huff on the bed.

Shizuru and I looked at each other. I could tell that she was trying hard to keep in her laughter. So I turned to Mai again. "Oscar Wilde?" I suggested helpfully. "Or maybe Hans Christian Anderson?"

That did Shizuru in. She burst into a fit of silvery laughter. And I joined in, clutching at my ribs. Mai contributed with her own merry sounds. As our laughs died out, Mai wiped at her eyes and heaved a sigh.

"Well." Mai said. "I always knew that Misaki was out of my league anyways. I guess he is more of a dream than I thought."

Shizuru slid off the bed and went to Mai to grab her hands. "Mai-chan, you will find your prince charming. You are so kind and sweet, the boys fall all over themselves to gain your favor."

I grinned and said, "It helps that you're super pretty, too." They both turned to look at me. Mai widened her eyes and blushed again, while Shizuru narrowed her eyes at me.

She stood up walked over to me and tapped the top of my head with her knuckles. "Natsuki Ikezu."

"Ow!" I grumbled and rubbed my head while glaring at her. She didn't elaborate and instead looked at me with mild amusement.

"Well!" I looked at Mai as she stood up. "I really should get going. Staying with you two is so not good for my health." She moved towards the door. Shizuru wandered after her and I was right behind her.

I circled my hands around Shizuru's waist and put my chin on her shoulder when she stopped. Her hands rested on mine and she leaned into me. Mai turned back to us after she had finished putting her shoes back on. She studied us with a faint air of envy and I suddenly remembered what she had said to me way back when we first met _"I wish I could have that special someone…"_

"Mai," I started. "I am sorry that I couldn't be your special someone." I gave her a wide eyed look of apology. Shizuru shivered for some reason.

Mai's violet eyes widened and she looked at Shizuru. "Make her stop, please. She is way too cute for her own good. Night guys. And thank you Natsuki. I can guess why you are dressing as a guy - your secrets are safe with me." She gave us a small smile and slipped out the door.

Shizuru sighed. "Natsuki is far too good at flirting." She let go of my hands and spun in my arms. Her own hands reached up to my neck and pulled me into a deep kiss. I was only too glad to press into her further. She pulled away. "These," she kissed me again, "Are mine, no?" She asked with a slight possessiveness that I've never heard from her before.

I narrowed my eyes at her. She was jealous. Of Mai. Somehow that just made me ridiculously happy. "Damn right they are." I growled and then kissed her passionately, enjoying the fiery sensations that ran through my body.

She pushed on me slightly and I back peddled until I hit the soft end of the bed. I sat down and Shizuru climbed on my legs. I vaguely wondered which one of us was going to cave to the overwhelming need that I knew we both felt. My thoughts were cut off when Shizuru started to stroke at the back of my neck, playing with the chain of my pendant. I hissed as shooting pain shot from under her fingers. It felt like every time she brushed against the chain, my skin was on fire.

She pulled back from my face, her burgundy eyes narrowed in concern. "Natsuki? You did get hurt, didn't you?"

I huffed as she gracefully maneuvered around to my back. "I really didn't think I was. I know that my necklace was pulled pretty hard but it was just a little uncomfortable for a while. Honestly, my head still hurts from when the dude grabbed my hair."

Her fingers gently brushed my hair away from my neck. I pulled it down the left side of my body, twisting it so it would stay. She sucked in a breath. "Oh, Natsuki. You've got a pretty nasty abrasion on your neck." Her fingers caressed the sensitive skin around the wound and I stiffened. "We should wash that at least. Please don't move."

I gave her a thumbs up and leaned my head in my hand. "You think Mai'll be okay?"

Shizuru chuckled from the bathroom. "Yes, Mai is kind and strong. She'll have a new crush in no time. I should be mad at you for kissing her hand like that, but I know that you did it with the best of intentions. And that it will never happen again."

"Yup. It was a one-time deal."

The sound of running water and splashing reached my ears. Then the water was shut off. Shizuru emerged and she was carrying a coffee mug and a couple wet hand towels. I watched her until she disappeared around my back. The bed shifted and her fingers gently pushed the necklace away from the wound. It hurt but I only flinched.

"I am sorry, but you should take off your pendant." She said.

"Okay." I pulled the necklace from around my neck and held it in my hands. As soon as I was settled, Shizuru began washing me. She gently dabbed at the wound, and then suddenly pressed the cool towel down.

"I am amazed that you didn't feel this. It's bleeding a little right now. I hope it doesn't hurt much." She said.

"Nah. You are really good at this, Zuru."

"That is good, since I have been patching up Natsuki for a long time now." She quipped.

"And I am happy you have been." I paused at her chuckle. "By the way- how did you know that I was a Japanese citizen, and not an American citizen?"

"I called your aunts." She said lightly while continuing to clean my wound. Her other hand was resting on my shoulder.

"What!" I tried to turn but that hand forced me to stay where I was.

"They needed to know that you'd been arrested." She huffed. "And I asked them what citizenship you had chosen because I was afraid that they would deport you. I just can't stand the thought of not being with you, Natsuki." She said softly.

I nodded. I felt the same way. "Did they say anything to you?"

"Well, Koika was in shock but Morgan told me that you two were going to have a date with the gym when they got back from their trip." She said with quiet amusement.

"Crap. That's her code for: You're training till you puke, then you keep training till I tell you to stop." I said with a grimace.

"Good." She said with satisfaction. "Maybe it will teach Natsuki to use her head more often."

"Zuuurruu!"I turned wide eyes on her.

She giggled and turned my head around. "That will not work this time."

_Damn._

* * *

**AN: Alrighty another chapter in the books! Thank you all again for reviewing/fav/following. It means alot! **

**About the citizenship thing- the way I understand it is that people up to age 20 are allowed to be a duel Japanese/American citizen. Once they hit 20, Japanese law requires the person choose one or the other. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong. **


	12. Broken Illusion

_AN: Hey all! Long time no post! This is the longest that I have gone without posting something- so I am sorry! My beta also wanted me to apologize on her behalf- but it was because I wrote such a crappy first- second- and third drafts that it has taken so long. This lovely chapter is a result of her fine job keeping me in line. _

_Anywatys- on to chapter 12 of A Fairy Tale?_

* * *

_Broken Illusion_

I was out of breath, looking for ways to land a punch on Morgan while trying to hold up my guard. Thwacks and thumps echoed through the large training gym that was located in the belly of ARTEMIS's main building. Morgan feigned a punch and her right foot flew out to crack me in the side. I lowered my arms just enough to take the impact and counter.

With a grunt, I grabbed her foot with my left arm, sunk into a solid stance and pulled. Morgan hissed and stumbled into my punch. At the last minute she slipped off my punch and pushed forward, her knee coming between us. She hit me in the chest and knocked me on my back. I landed on the mat hard, with Morgan's left leg pressing me into them. Her breathing was under control even if it was heavy with exertion.

I on the other hand was looking up at her twinkling blue eyes with panting breaths.

"Do you yield?" Morgan asked almost cheerfully.

I glared and bit back a growl. If I couldn't at least get out of from under her she would probably make me do another set of pushups and crunches. So I jabbed at her arm and grabbed her leg on my chest. She let out a breathy chuckle and adjusted her grip after shaking off my attempts. Straddling me, she pinned my arms to the side and lazily stuck a pretend knife into my neck.

"You're dead, Darlin." She said. "Do you know what you did wrong?"

"Yeah, sparing with yo-" I started and then yelped when Morgan flipped me over and pinned my arm behind my back, twisting it painfully.

"Wrong answer, Baby Doll." Morgan said sternly from above my head. "Try again."

"I picked a fight with a group of guys when I could have just told them that I was Shizuru's bodyguard. Should have called security." I responded my voice muffled because one side of my face was pressing into the mat. "And I shouldn't have grabbed your leg."

"Correct on both accounts." Morgan's voice darkened as she tugged on my arm. "Natsuki - you can't keep jumping into things like this. You are damn lucky that Shizuru is freakishly good at convincing people to do what she wants them to do or you would have a goddamned record over here, too."

Wincing more at the memory of the events from my time at the FBI than from the way Morgan was twisting my arm, I grunted out. "No, I don't want a record here too. Morgan, how do you deal with Koika being so famous?" Koika's book, about a spunky FBI profiler who is sent to work in a big city homicide unit after she defies her superior, was pretty popular.

Morgan sighed and sat back, letting me up. I rolled out from under her. Turning, I found her studying me with fond blue eyes. "Your Little Lady is far more popular than Ko. I found out the hard way that Ko was as much her fans as she was mine. She and I had an argument over putting her picture on the back flap. Her publisher said that she would sell more books that way and Koika just wanted as many people to read her work. This was a way to get people interested." She paused and I knew exactly where this was going but I let her carry on. "I didn't want her face out there for everyone to see because she is so damn beautiful. People were going to want a piece of her no matter what once they saw her."

I shook my head. "So how do you cope?"

She gazed at me thoughtfully, and then spoke up. "I don't really think I've gotten used to it. Koika's writing her second book and her fans are only going to grow. She'll put her professional mask on, smile and wave prettily to the crowds, and when she comes home she'll be back to her tsundere self." She quirked a sly grin at me. "Which is exactly how I like her."

Ignoring the fact that Morgan figured out what tsundere meant, I said, "Okay - thanks Morgan. I think I got it now." Standing up, and starting towards the shower, I stopped to grab my towel.

Morgan, right behind me said eagerly, "So, are you going to ask me where I learned tsundere?" She followed me straight through the locker door, hovering like an over eager puppy.

_Let me guess. _"Hmm. Nope." I said, pulling out my ponytail as I walked over to the last shower stall.

"Shizuru did!"

"Go figure."

"Aww, you don't have to sound all disappointed. It suits you Krugers perfectly. Y'all are aloof and cold but only soften up to your special someone." I could hear the amusement in her voice over the showers. "So very Moe by the way."

I turned and stared at my aunt over the sides of the stalls. "Why do you remember stupid shit like that but you can't even tell me the weather?"

"Cause it pisses you off. You two are way too funny when you pretend to be angry."

"And when we actually are angry?"

"I run away screaming bloody murder."

* * *

After Morgan's training session I was so sore. My stomach rumbled as I stepped into my little apartment. Kicking off my shoes, I shuffled into the living room to find Shizuru sitting on my couch, her school things spread across my coffee table. She was concentrating on one of her large textbooks.

"Hey, Zuru." I said tiredly, walking behind the couch and swooping down to give her a swift kiss on the cheek before making a beeline to my bed. I fell on it with a sigh and closed my eyes.

"Ara. Miss Morgan must have worked you hard."

"Yeah. How was your day with Koika?" I pulled myself up so I could stuff my face in my pillows.

"It was highly entertaining. Miss Koika has a knack for attracting a lot of attention. Especially from men." Shizuru said, sounding a little miffed about something.

"Why would you be upset that she attracts men?" I was curious, Koika was a little like me in public. She could be aloof, but her short stature and beautiful face made men flock to her.

"She got a really nice necklace for half off because the salesman took a shine to her." Shizuru huffed and the padding of light feet reached my ears. "She cheated. She was supposed to take the salesperson that wouldn't easily fall for her charm but she chose my mark instead."

I snorted into my pillow. Leave it to Koika and Shizuru to bond over psychologically analyzing people for fun. "Okay, I'm ignoring the fact that you and Koika basically flirted your way through your shopping and say this: Well at least you had fun."

The bed dipped and Shizuru's hand combed through my hair. I sighed and turned to face her. She was looking at me with dancing eyes. "Natsuki is jealous."

I rolled my eyes. Maybe I was but this is what Morgan was talking about. "So not." I got up and stretched. My joints popped and I dropped my arms with a satisfied groan.

"As a reward for such hard work, I shall give you a rubdown." Shizuru said, choosing to ignore my denial.

I peered at her, her eyes were still a dancing swirl of reds. Good. "Um, okay. What do you want me to do?"

"Natsuki needs to take off her shirt and lay down on her stomach." She said with a hint of anticipation.

Crap. Shizuru was planning something. I shrugged. Oh well. I pointed at her, feeling like I should at least warn her, and said "No funny shit."

"Don't swear, Natsuki." Shizuru said reflexively. "I will be a good girl." She gave me her best innocent look. I didn't believe it for a second. She saw this and pouted. "Natsuki Ikezu."

I hate it when she does that. So, I reached up and pulled off my shirt and half turned away from her. "Happy now?" I noticed that she was eyeing my exposed skin appreciatively. "What?"

"Yes, I like this look very much. I especially like Natuski's bra. The black lace stands out against her pretty skin." Shizuru said as she continued to eye me.

"Good for me." I deadpanned and flopped on my stomach.

"Natsuki is not a very good sport." She sat on my upper legs and started to work on my lower back.

I suppressed a shiver as she began to gently rub her fingers into my muscles. In certain areas they flitted over my skin, trailing goose bumps in their wake, but when she hit a knot near my shoulder I groaned.

"Ara, that has to hurt. I will do my best." She sang out and began to work her thumbs into my muscle. She released me and pushed my hair to the side. She traced my shoulder to my neck and murmured, "Natsuki has such nice muscle definition."

My response was cut off by a strangled gasp when I felt her lips on the back of my neck, right below my healing cut. Her fingers trekked down both sides of my spine, hitting my tensed muscles. I tried to arch my back but she brought a hand up a pressed it into my shoulder, keeping me in place. Her warm lips trailed fire in their wake. She stopped halfway down and I let out a breathy moan because she hit a sensitive spot. Those lips left me and the puffs of air from her breathing were driving me crazy.

Then her hands continued to explore my skin and she again attack that spot. This time her lips barely brushed my skin; her tongue joined the mix, and she pressed her mouth into my back in a sensual kiss. I groaned, fighting to keep my breathing under control. I gave up when she nipped at me, causing me to suck in my breath.

Shizuru's lips left but they didn't go far. She trailed her fingers up my spine until she hit my bra as her mouth moved up to my neck. She worried the skin their then traced along the bottom edge of the lace with her fingers and undid the clasp with a snap.

"Zuru. Did you really have to do that?" I husked.

"It was in the way." She breathed into my ear and then took the lobe between her teeth to nibble at it. She released my ear and began to massage the heels of her palms into the muscles near my shoulder blades. The circular motion followed a path down either side of me then she flattened her palms against my lower back. Her thumbs traced slow random patterns on my skin.

I was slowly relaxing into her touch. Even as her mouth descended again, sending little bolts of pleasure through my body, I couldn't help but sigh contently.

"Ara. Natsuki must like her rubdown." Shizuru commented between her small kisses.

"Yes." I muttered then yelped as her fingers tickled their way up my spine. I tried hard not to fidget but I couldn't help it. I squirmed and raised my upper body up so I could twist around to face her.

Shizuru's body pressed into my back. Her hands had slipped around to clasp at my stomach just below my breasts and we began to kiss. It was an unusual position but it didn't stop the fun.

This was turning into the best back massage ever. Welcome to Miss Shizuru's massage parlor - We make sure all of your endings are happy!

_DING-DONG!_

We froze and came up for air. Shizuru's rapid breaths hit my ear. I was panting, partially from that kiss but mostly from trying to keep Shizuru and me up off the bed.

"You are not home." Shizuru murmured her accent thick and sensual. Pushing up into a seated position, with Shizuru still attached to my back, I grabbed the ends of my bra and worked to put it on again.

I still can't figure out how she managed to stick to me, but there it was.

"Zuru, could you please get off?" I asked, since my fingers kept swiping at the soft cotton of Shizuru's shirt and I'm pretty sure that I was also hitting her breasts through the fabric. "You're heavy."

"Ikezu. Natsuki was not complaining earlier." Shizuru exclaimed with a pout in her voice. Her hands slowly left me.

Now free, I hopped up, grabbed my shirt and tugged it over my head. The doorbell was ringing obnoxiously like the person was constantly jabbing at the button and I doubled my speed, reaching the door in no time. "Alright, I'm here! Who is it?" I shouted through the metal.

"Natsuki! Hurry up!" Morgan said briskly.

I pulled the door open and a gasped as I took in my tall aunt and of all people, Nao. She was on Morgan's back and her chin was leaning on her shoulder. Morgan and Nao where disheveled and dirty, their clothes ripped and Nao's face was bruised and battered.

Nao shot me a pained smile while Morgan pushed past me and into my small studio. Morgan didn't bother to take off her shoes in her hurry to get Nao to the couch. I slammed the door shut and spun to follow them.

"Nao-han! What happened?" Shizuru's voice sounded through the apartment. Her accent was still thick but this time it was laced with concern.

"She was jumped by Tomoe's goons, I think. I got there just as they were about ready to use weapons." Morgan reported, her face set in a grimace, as she sat down on the couch with Nao. She twisted, allowing Shizuru to gently guide the injured Nao off her back.

I stifled a snarl and went to the bathroom to pull some towels out of the cupboard. When I returned, Morgan was sitting on the edge of the bed and Shizuru had pushed the coffee table away from the couch so she could kneel next to Nao. Anxiety was screaming from her eyes when she looked up at my approach. Tossing one towel at Morgan, who nodded in silent thanks as she caught it, I hurried over to my injured friend.

I handed Shizuru a towel and she shifted over to wipe at Nao's bloodied face. Nao would never allow me to do it, so Shizuru had to. "How did this happen?" Shizuru asked again in a warm whisper. I sat down on the floor and leaned into the couch.

"I was tailing one of those proxies of Tomoe's. He actually was following you around and had decided to go after Natsuki's aunt, instead of you." Shizuru shifted her eyes from her work to glare at me. I shrugged. Nao noticed and said, "Fox, you're worth it. You're good people."

"Thank you, Nao-han. I however must respectfully disagree." Shizuru reached up and fondly brushed Nao's red hair off her forehead.

"Don't get all weird!" Nao said gruffly while squeezing her eyes shut and coloring.

Morgan chuckled. "Remember that Natsuki's just doing her job, Shizuru. She's damn good at it, I might add." Morgan must have seen the defensive look on my face, because she couldn't understand the Japanese that we were throwing around. "Oh and Nao called a Youko and told her where we were going so she should be right behind us."

I nodded my approval and asked Nao in English. "So, Nao. What happened as you followed Koika?"

"Shit!" Morgan jumped up and threw down her towel. "I told Koika that I had noticed Nao and pointed her out. She seemed off to me because I didn't recognize her until Ko said that she had seen her in the pictures you've shown us. I was curious so I told Koika to head back to the hotel."

"You good?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. She looked exhausted.

"Yeah, Baby Doll. I gotta go." She said hastily, drawing me into a quick hug before walking quickly out the door and closing it softly. She didn't bother to ask if we were fine because she knew help was on the way.

"Okay, so we've established that Morgan has spidey-senses." I said with a humorless smile. "How did you end up getting beat up?"

"Well, the guy followed Koika until she met up with Morgan then he decided to end it. So I tracked him to try to find out where the hell he came from. He went into a back alley but I didn't go in because something was off." She winced when Shizuru hit an open cut on her cheek. "Well, I was right, since someone shoved me into the alley and I was attacked."

I snarled and Shizuru gasped. Shit. This was beginning to sound more and more like a set up. Nao's too good to be noticed by some punks.

"Anyways - I was being used as a punching bag till your aunt beat the shit out of the guys. They seemed like they were professionals but, damn! Morgan is like a super spy or something." Nao said with a touch of admiration. Her lime-green eyes glanced up at Shizuru. "Look, Shizuru, we are _bodyguards_. We wouldn't be doing our jobs if we weren't getting hurt. Besides, this is nothing."

Shizuru poked at Nao's side. She promptly yelped and glared up at her. "I do not think that this is nothing." Shizuru said miserably. She stood up and looked at me. "I want this to stop. Tomoe is now hurting my friends. Who else will feel her wrath? Anh? Mai? Takumi-"

"Zuru!" I stood as well and gave her a hug. "Please don't think like that. That proxy could have been bait to get Nao to follow him. They probably weren't under any orders from Tomoe. You know she is fixated on you and me."

"Yeah." Nao said from the couch. "Like I said, these guys are pros. It took me a while to figure it out but it's the only explanation. They are so difficult to find when they are shadowing you. They've taken off those earrings and they blend in so well with the people around them. Plus, Tomoe's not level headed enough to do something that sneaky right now."

I nodded down at Nao then turned Shizuru around and led her to the bed. She sat down and gave me a sad, vulnerable look. It took away all the anger that I was feeling. "Relax. Nao's tough and we now have another clue." Nao sniggered and slowly raised a hand to give us a thumbs up before dropping it with a small groan.

I grinned and turned back to gaze at those beautiful red eyes. "They're good but not that good. We'll get those proxies out of the way then Tomoe will be ours to take." I said softly and leaned in for a gentle kiss. I smiled when I felt Shizuru melt into it and pull me closer.

"Ummm... You two really ought to just have sex then I wouldn't have to listen to you suck face." Nao said irritably from the couch. Not very logical but hey - she was hurt so I didn't say anything as we ended our kiss.

Shizuru was not so nice though. "Ara. Perhaps Nao would like to hear us have sex then? She is such a naughty little kitty." She said with devilish innocence. Heat flooded to my cheeks.

Nao sputtered from the couch. If she were a cat she would be arching her back and puffing out her fur. "Dammit woman!"

I chuckled; it was rare for anyone to get the better of Nao. "Or…" Shizuru paused dramatically. "Nao-han must wish for me to kiss her, yes?"

My mouth dropped open. Shizuru walked over to Nao and bent down as if she was going to kiss her.

"Whoa! What the hell!" Nao and I said in unison.

Shizuru straightened and shot me a knowing look. I stifled a frustrated huff. Nao was grumbling about being teased so that Shizuru could prove a point.

Nao and I were saved from more Shizuru teasing by a knock at the door. _Thank God. _It had to be Youko, finally here to give Nao the medical attention she needed. I hurried over and opened it.

After leading the pretty doctor to Nao, I made a quick decision. It was time to bring in the big guns. I sat down on my bed and grabbed my phone off the small table beside it. Hitting the speed dial, I brought the phone to my ear.

It rang a couple times before a musically low male voice answered. _"__Hello, Kuga-kun. How is_ _everything?"_

"Nao was attacked by Tomoe's goons. They made it look like it was a mugging, Boss." My statement was punctuated by a yelp from Nao and Youko's gentle clucking.

"_Well, this is not the best turn of events. Were you able to determine if they were acting on Tomoe's orders?" _

"Nao believes that they are professionals. They saw Nao as a threat and took steps to take her out. Tomoe wouldn't have bothered with Nao, so it is doubtful they had acted on her orders."

Silence met my analysis. It took so long that I grabbed a pillow and started to knead at it.

Finally, Reito's smooth baritone filtered through the speaker. _"This is troublesome. From the sound of it, they aren't quite the playthings you had previously thought. How is Nao?" _

I made a sound of agreement and turned to my couch. "Youko sensei, how does it look?"

Youko looked up, her face set in a mild scowl. "It looks like between you and Nao, I am going to have to demand a pay raise. Nao-chan is fine, but may have a broken rib or two. I need to get her back to ARTEMIS for x-rays. She has some minor abrasions and more than enough bruises. They will heal up in a couple of weeks or so."

"Nao's okay. She's gonna need x-rays on her ribs and has some bumps and bruises though."

Reito chuckled. _"Well that is good. I do not think I could handle having another life and death situation on my hands. Could you hand me over to Shizuru-san? I wish to ask her about something." _

"Okay, Boss." I dropped my hand down and looked at Shizuru, who was preparing tea in the kitchen. "Zuru! Reito wants to talk to you." I got off the bed and strode over meet her halfway.

Questions danced in her eyes even as she calmly held out her hand for the phone. "Thank you Natsuki."

I went around the couch, sitting at Nao's feet and watched Shizuru. She sat elegantly on the edge of my bed. Youko had stepped outside to call for a van to transport Nao to ARTEMIS.

"Yo, mutt. Don't worry. Boss man is probably going to pull something magical out of his hat." Nao whispered.

I patted her leg. "I know. I'm sorry I got you hurt."

"No problem. It's part of the job."

Youko came back, a burly man at her heels. "Nao-chan, I am going to have Noboru-kun pick you up, since you hate being strapped into the gurneys."

Nao's expression turned predatory as she looked at the young man. "Lucky me." She purred.

Shizuru looked up from her conversation with Reito. "Nao-chan. Remember you're taken." She scolded. She seemed to be finished because she set the phone down and walked over to me, sitting on the arm of my couch.

"So says the massive flirt herself." Nao said scornfully as she was picked up by Noboru. "Mm. Nobu-kun is so strong." She switched to sex goddess again.

I snorted and snaked an arm around Shizuru's waist to pull her into my lap. "She got you there Zuru. Besides, she is just being Nao. Right Nao?" I raised my voice so she could hear me from the door

"Yup! I'll be back on my feet in no time. Could you tell Morgan that she's awesome for me?" Nao said with enthusiasm as she was carried out the door by our colleague. It was closed with a snap.

Shizuru nuzzled into me. "Reito-san is going to try to get your team more legal power to go after Tomoe. He needs me to sign some papers and talk the school into allowing Aoi and Chie to access my records there." She kissed my neck. "The process may take a while, since it is unusual. Nao's attack seemed to trouble him."

I nodded absently. Her mouth was doing a wonderful job at distracting me. Then I flushed, remembering what we were doing before Morgan burst through the door. "Ah, Zuru? How about I give you a massage?" Without waiting for an answer I picked her up with one arm under her knees and the other around her upper torso.

Shizuru's arms strengthened their grip around my neck. "Natsuki is too kind." She said before attacking my neck again.

I grinned.

* * *

Two days after Nao was hurt, I woke up early. Today, Morgan and Koika had to go back to the States. Shizuru and I wanted to say goodbye. She was still sleeping in our small hotel bed, her limbs tangled in mine. I shook her awake, knowing that she wanted to say goodbye too. She groaned and tried to snuggle into me. I chuckled and pulled away, watching her expression fall into a pout.

"Zuru, stop that, I know you're up." I chided. Without warning I put my hands on either side of her head and bent down, pressing my lips to hers. Her arms came up around my neck to prolong our contact. After a while, I pulled out of the kiss and whispered, "True love's kiss, Princess. Now up." Inside I was elated. I was hovering over her and she wasn't flinching.

I sat up, Shizuru following me with her arms still around my neck. She nuzzled into my neck and took a small nip at my pulse point near the junction of my jaw. "Natsuki is mean to cut into my beauty sleep." She purred as she worked her way up to my mouth. I stretched to avoid her, so that she couldn't distract me further. We did have people waiting for us.

"In that case you don't need to sleep that much." I said lightly as I brought a hand up from her hip, not really remembering how it got there, and ran my fingers through her soft wavy hair. I avoided another kiss and gently pried her arms from around my neck. "You know, Morgan and Koika are going to be super pissed if we don't get our asses in gear."

Her wandering lips stopped their distracting path along my neck. "Natsuki shouldn't swear so often. It makes her sound less intelligent." She said against my skin and I shivered before making my escape.

We made it down to the lobby exactly fifteen minutes late. I blame Shizuru, the woman just wouldn't let me get dressed. Morgan was sitting in one of those cushy chairs that just about every hotel has. She raised an arm when she spotted us coming at her.

"Hey there!" She greeted us with cheer. "Koika's checking out right now, and getting us a shuttle to the airport."

"Koko's okay then?" I asked. Morgan left so quickly after dropping Nao off. And I didn't hear from her for the rest of the day. Or the day after, since Shizuru and I were running around Fuuka. First we went to ARTEMIS where we met with Reito. Shizuru signed her paperwork then we visited Nao in the medical ward. It turned out that her ribs were bruised on her right side. And finally we spent like three hours convincing Fuuka University to allow Aoi and Chie to keep an eye out on her account.

"More than okay. We-" She began with a sly smirk.

"Say one more word and we will not be doing what you are about to describe for a very long time." Koika said sternly as she smiled at us from behind Morgan's chair.

"Aww. No toys then?" Morgan pouted.

"What the hell Morgan?" I exploded, blushing furiously. Could she be more inappropriate? Yes.

Shizuru giggled behind her hand, watching Koika slap Morgan upside the head with her paperwork. "I shall miss watching you torturing dear Natsuki, Miss Morgan. She has the most interesting reactions."

I crossed my arms in front of me in a huff and glared off to the side.

"Big baby." Morgan teased. I did the mature thing and stuck my tongue out at her before turning away again.

"Come on guys, I want to get to the airport on time." Koika said with laughter in her voice.

I sighed and marched over to grab their suitcases. "I can get some of these."

"Yes, allow me to assist as well." Shizuru offered primly. I grinned; Shizuru looked and sounded too genteel to haul her own bags around, let alone offering to help someone else with theirs.

"Ya know little lady, you don't have to worry your pretty self with all that liftin'. Let Nats and I take care of the luggage." Morgan drawled in her thickest Southern accent.

"Ara, such a gentleman! If you insist then I shall not refuse." Shizuru sang out while Koika laced her arm through hers and they slowly made their way over to the front doors, turning heads as they went. Koika shot Morgan a smile over her shoulder before turning to speak to Shizuru.

"And that is how you get suck up points, Natsuki."

"Yeah, yeah." I responded, rolling my eyes. The only reason she needed to do that was because she pissed off Koika so much. My aunts were so weird.

We managed to get to the airport without much of a fuss with Morgan and Koika happily sharing some of their traveling stories with us. Shizuru knew exactly what questions to ask and how fill gaps with small comments to keep the conversation lively and fun. I just sat back and listened to the happy sounds of my family.

The airport's hub was loaded with travelers and the din of multiple languages assaulted my ears. There were so many people. Waiting for Morgan and Koika to check their luggage was bordering on torture - I hate crowds. I jumped when Shizuru grabbed my arm. When she leaned into me and put her head on my shoulder, I relaxed almost instantly.

Morgan and Koika emerged from the line of people, two large suitcases lighter and burdened with their boarding passes.

Morgan grinned. "I see y'all are getting cozy already. Gosh we haven't even left yet."

Koika elbowed her on the way over to a quieter section of the hub. The rest of us followed, Shizuru still attached to my side and Morgan rubbing hers.

"Well, ladies. We only have a couple minutes or so before we should get to our gate." Koika turned and watched us. Shizuru, sensing that a hug was coming, stepped away from me to hug Morgan.

I walked into Koika's embrace and squeezed her tightly. "I'll miss you Koko." Dammit all I was going to cry. Leaving them in the States wasn't nearly as hard as having them for three weeks and being forced to let go so they could return to their lives.

"I wish you could stay." I added even though I knew it was selfish of me.

Koika pulled away slightly and cupped my face in her gentle hands. "Chibi-chan, you are going to pull through this. Remember, your partner is a wonderful and caring young woman. Learn to lean on her more often - she is certainly strong enough to hold your weight. After all, from what I have seen and heard, she has been leaning on you a lot." She smiled and said, "I am so happy that you have found someone that makes you happy."

I grinned down at her through my brimming tears. "Thanks Koko. I'll do my best."

"Hey, now. Y'all can't forget about your dear Miss Mo."

We both turned to find Morgan with her arm slung around Shizuru's shoulders. Shizuru, for her part looked amused about something. Koika and I let out simultaneous growls and crossed our arms. Why? Well it is Morgan we were dealing with after all. She was up to something.

"Behold the awesome twin Kruger glares. They have melted many a face in their day." Morgan said dramatically. Shizuru dissolved into fits of laughter.

I felt my lips purse and Koika went rigid. "Morgan! Can't you be serious for once?" She barked. "Say goodbye to your niece properly!" She grabbed my arm and placed a hand at my back to shove me forward.

"Hey!" I stumbled forward and hit Morgan as she stepped forward and grabbed me around my shoulder to pull me off to the side.

So this is what a pinball feels like.

"Little Nats, I've been meanin' to tell ya this for a while yet." She said softly, all of her cheer gone. "Tomoe's gonna do something soon, right?" I nodded. "Well, remember that she will try to hit you where it hurts the most. She is unusually devious and I wouldn't be surprised if she has figured out that you are Misaki - she will use that to her advantage. When that happens, do not throw yourself out of the tower, Natsuki. Your Shizuru is far stronger than most fairy tale princesses. Let her help more."

I nodded, trying to hide my confusion. I knew better than to question Morgan when she got all cryptic on me. "Did you just make a Rapunzel reference? Cause I resent being compared to a lame ass prince. Like I would lose to Tomoe."

Morgan shook her head. "I made the reference because all fairy tales are cautionary. Rapuznel's prince did not trust her enough when he found the old woman instead of her. He threw himself out of Rapunzel's tower and landed on the rose bushes below. I am not comparing you to the prince, just that rash actions do not help, whether in relationships or in this job. Especially when dealing with people like Tomoe."

That sobered me up. I sighed. "Okay. I'll try to remember that."

Morgan grinned and pulled me into a hug. "Good. I love you, Baby Doll."

"Love you too." I mumbled into her shoulder. Morgan was a pain in the ass but she was my idol growing up. Like I would tell her though.

Morgan pulled back and looked down into my eyes. "Thank you for allowing me to be your mom. You've made me so proud and happy." She smiled and bent to whisper in my ear. "Dry those tears, Baby Doll or Shizuru may just jump you right here in the airport."

I scowled and quickly swiped the tears off my cheeks. "Miss Mo, did anyone tell you that you are obnoxious?"

"Yup. Ko does every day before we - Ow!" Morgan jumped and rubbed at her back. She then swooped down to Koika, who had a smug smile on her face, grabbing her and pulled her into a passionate kiss. Yup, right there in the middle of the airport.

I groaned and put a hand to my face. I heard Shizuru sigh and looked over at her. Her normal smile was still in place, but her eyes had gone soft as she watched my aunts.

I coughed. "Come on! You are going to be late if you don't stop."

They came up for air, Morgan still holding onto Koika a wide grin plastered on her face. Koika's hazel eyes were partially hidden by her lowered lids and her cheeks were flushed. Her eyes snapped back into focus and she glared up at Morgan.

"You're an idiot." Koika said softly.

"You're welcome." Came the equally soft reply.

And cue gagging on my part. "Go on you lovebirds, you're gonna miss your flight." They were so embarrassing. Shizuru giggled again.

"Thank you both for all of your help. I hope to meet you again soon." Shizuru said with warmth radiating off her. My aunts surprised her by giving her a simultaneous hug and I joined in. Everyone was wearing goofy grins. Morgan and Shizuru started to giggle again when we let the hug go.

Koika grabbed Morgan around the arm and smiled as my long limbed aunt took up their luggage. They leisurely made their way over to the secured areas of the airport and Shizuru and I followed them as far as we could. When they had to go through security we stood at the railing. I gave them one last wave. Dropping my hands down so I could lean against the barricade, I followed their path along the wide corridor until they disappeared.

A soft body pressed into my side. Shizuru's arm wrapped around my waist and she leaned her head on my shoulder. I sighed, happy with the contact. "I will miss them and I am glad that they are the way they are."

"Yeah. Let's get out of here. I feel like I'm gonna suffocate." Shizuru nodded into my shoulder. I glanced back as we turned around, like I was going to see my aunts again. My eyes widened when I saw them, looking back at me. Koika gave me a thumbs up while Morgan gave me a mock salute with two of her fingers.

* * *

Finals were upon us and I had just finished my second one of the day. After sitting for almost five hours in the morning I had to get food or I was going to be seeing stars. I hoped that Shizuru was waiting for me at our usual meeting place on campus. Shizuru would often park herself in a quiet corner of one of the many student areas that dotted the school's grounds. Unfortunately, people would figure out where she was and would find chairs or tables to sit around her so they could watch her as she worked. It would have been comical if it wasn't so sad.

Sure enough, when I found her, Shizuru was sitting at a table, going over her notes and ignoring the drone of the crowd that surrounded her. Hitching the heavy bag of books higher on my back, I weaved my way through the tables towards my tawny haired girlfriend. My annoyance grew when I noticed that the crowd of people had lowered their voices and many were turning to stare at me.

Keeping my eyes locked on Shizuru, I thought to myself, _Chill out Natsuki - You're the only one she allows to see under her mask. Only one who gets to see her bare -_ I stopped that thought right there because it was not going where I wanted it to. Well it was, but now was not the time for that. Something glinted red near me and my traitorous brain immediately jumped to the image of Shizuru's belly ring glinting against her bare skin. Heat bloomed on my cheeks. Dammit.

Shizuru looked up and watched my approach. "Ara. Natsuki looks flushed. Is everything okay?"

_Yup, everything's dandy - I'm just horny don't mind me. _I dumped my bag near the chair next to Shizuru and slumped into it. "Yeah, I just thought that I wouldn't get through the crowd. So I sort of jogged here."

She gave me her polite smile but her eyes told me that she knew exactly what I was thinking. "Ara, it isn't that far and Natsuki is not even breathing hard. Perhaps she was thinking of something else." To make her point clear I felt something run itself from my knee, up my thigh dangerously close to my crotch, and then back down.

I started and let out a hissing breath as her gentle fingers sent sensations running through my body. Grabbing her hand I tugged her forward and placed my lips to her ear. "Zuru, you are so lucky we're in public now." I growled softly. She shivered slightly against me. I was happy to know that I had probably affected her as much as she was affecting me.

As I pulled back she purred, "Perhaps I am not so lucky then."

My blush, which was retreating, came back in full force. I glared down at the table. "Idiot."

Shizuru was laughing softly at me and I turned my glare on her. She managed to look like we were having a normal conversation but for her slight blush and the darkening of her irises. "Natsuki is so cute when she is frustrated." She noted through her light chuckles.

Almost all of the heat rushed out of me and I burst into giggles. I'm not a giggler but for goodness sakes Shizuru thinks that I am cute all the time. I folded my arms on the table and dropped my head on them, trying to stifle my laughter.

"Shizuru. You are so awesome! I mean, Natsuki sounds like a real girl." Nao's amused voice came from above me.

That stopped the giggles. Standing up, I shot a glare at Nao, brushed past the young man at her side and muttered, "I'm getting food."

Nao was wearing her usual provocative clothes but the image was somewhat hampered by the sling that held her arm against her torso. She didn't like the sling, but she knew enough to use it until Youko told her to stop. The bruises on her face had faded to yellows.

"Wow, that's rude, Kuga. You should at least ask if we wanted anything." Nao said loudly, sarcasm dripping from her voice. She still hadn't forgiven me for allowing Shizuru to tease her. Like I could stop her.

I stopped, whirled and was about to tell her to shove it but the constant drone of people had gone silent. Suspicious.

Darting my eyes around the crowd of people I noticed that they were all staring. I turned towards them and barked, "Hey! We're not here for your fucking entertainment! Go get fucking lives!" When I started for them, the crowd scattered like a herd of frightened gazelles.

I marched to the nearest food counter, which was quite far since Shizuru tries so hard to stay away from the more populated areas. Glancing around, I noticed that there were a number of people in the corridor. Normally, it wouldn't have bothered me, but these guys were pressing far too closely. The hall wasn't that crowded. I slowed, gauging the reactions of my fellow students. Sure enough, a couple of my followers checked up their strides.

Okay, time to figure this out. I stopped completely and leaned up against the wall. "So, you guys want to tell me why you are following me?"

The small group surrounded me, and a young woman spoke up in a slightly nasal voice. "We want you to stop hanging around Kaichou-sama. Your uncouth ways are bringing her down."

_What are we, in high school? _I raised an eyebrow at her, studying her with something that I hoped was boredom. "Okay, but isn't that up to Shizuru? And what gives you the right to say who she hangs out with anyways?"

They bristled at the derision leaking into my voice. One of the guys stepped up behind the first speaker. "Kaichou-sama does not need a delinquent returnee of questionable background hanging around her."

That sent my brow up higher. "Yeah? What do you mean 'questionable background'?" I knew where this was going, but I was hoping it wasn't.

"Your father and mother had an affair and you were the result." The young man replied. Unusually blunt, but I'll take it.

"I got over it. So?" My mother finally told me about a half a year before she died that my father was not around because he had another family to take care of. I didn't really care, if my mother was with me, I was fine. What I didn't get over was that my father didn't bother with me after he brought me to Koika. Like I was a burden.

Shaking off the bitter thoughts, I watched my new friends try to figure out what to say to rattle me. There wasn't much that they could say though.

"Yeah, but your mother was such a slut, using her body like that to land a foreigner. A rich foreigner." Someone on my right said with a sneer in their voice.

I snapped my gaze over to the area, looking for the person who said that. I could feel my mouth clenching and my lips pulling into a snarl. "No right - you have no right to bring her character into question." My words were mangled because of the tightness in my jaw. My body was rigid and my eyes wide with the rage. Tears formed in the corners of my eyes as I stared them down, refusing to blink.

They pulled back, whispering to each other. I know that I was confirming the general opinion that I was dangerous, but I didn't care. They just ran my dead mother's name through the mud.

"Ara! I was not aware of a gathering." Shizuru's melodic voice drifted through the crowd silencing them.

I relaxed a bit at the sound of her. There was movement and Shizuru emerged, looking like a princess on a stroll through her palace gardens.

"Oh! Natsuki this is where you've been? Making friends?" Her tone was light but her eyes narrowed at me in concern. Her long legs brought her to my side. She wrapped her arm around my waist, placing the other on my stomach. Her fingers began to make random patterns into my belly causing the tension to slowly drain from me.

I stopped my body from leaning into her warmth. Instead I pressed my back into the wall.

"They found out that I am an illegitimate child and I just about confirmed that I am too violent to hang out with the almighty Kaichou-sama." I mumbled, a little ashamed that Shizuru pretty much stopped me from murdering the lot of them. She was like an instant balm.

She sucked in her breath and spoke up. "I think that everyone should head back to their previous activities, please. I am sure that Natsuki would love to answer any further questions later, but I am afraid that we must prepare for an exam."

The crowd began to break up. "Ask them where they got the information." I whispered.

"Ara! Does anyone know where I might go to find more information about our interesting friend here? She is just so mysterious." Shizuru asked the group, her tone mischievous and warm.

"Kaichou-sama! I heard that Takeda-san from the kendo club and her have been going out." The same young man who challenged me earlier said.

Okay this is so not cool. If Takeda and I were "going out" then why the hell would he try to mess with me? I have barely talked to him since my bout with vertigo. In fact I have made it a point not to talk with him.

Maybe throwing my knife at him was too much.

"Thank you so much, Fukudome-san!" Shizuru beamed at him, causing him to blush and back away.

I snorted. "Thanks Zuru. I snapped back there." I stepped out of her one armed hug but stayed close.

"I know you wouldn't do so because of mere gossip, Natsuki." She said as we headed towards the food. "What has made you so angry?"

I warmed at the light praise. "Sorry for not telling you about my parents."

Shizuru gave me a gentle smile. "It is okay, I am aware that you haven't divulged much of your past. We all have things that we would rather not speak of. Now, tell me what happened."

"Thanks." I returned the gesture. "My mother's reputation got called into question."

Shizuru sucked in a breath. "How cruel. I am sorry Natsuki."

I winced at the melancholy in her lyrical voice. "It's good, Zuru. I know that people would jump to conclusions since she was Japanese and my dad is pretty rich. If they know my dad's name, they can easily Google him. I am more upset that she isn't here to defend herself."

Studying her face, I saw that she was still visibly upset. At least for Shizuru. I closed the space between us and wrapped her into a hug. Some part of my brain was telling me that this was not very safe but what the hell, I was tired of hiding behind masks.

Suddenly, Shizuru put her hands on my shoulders, giving me a small shove in the process. "I wish to speak with Takeda-san." She announced and began walking again, this time with purpose.

I hurried to catch up, texting Nao that we would be a while. If I didn't, Nao would probably leave our things at the table. Shizuru was a couple steps ahead of me, determined to get to Takeda.

"Yo! Shizuru! Slow down." I reached out to grab her arm, pulling her to a stop. "Why are you so willing to storm the castle, huh?"

"I want to make it clear that you are not available." Shizuru hissed went I spun her to face me.

I smiled. Shizuru's possessive streak was funny and very sexy. "Aw and here I was thinking that you would defend my mother's honor."

Her eyes narrowed. "I do not like that he is so eager to resort to bullying to get his way. He believes that he has a chance with you because you led him to believe it to be so! Now come. It is your job to confront him about your mother."

Oh lordy, Shizuru was still mad at not being there to help me out while I was hurt. I have always thought that she was a little jealous of Takeda because of that. "Okay. Lead on."

In a matter of minutes, we were bustling into the kendo dojo. Takeda was nowhere to be found. Shizuru sweetly asked where the esteemed kendo captain was. One of the practicing team members pointed us towards the locker room. Shizuru nodded her thanks and off we went.

The lockers were full of young men changing. Shizuru ignored the cries of protest as several naked team members stepped out of the showers and questioned where Takeda was. One of them pointed to a small row of lockers at the back of the room. Rounding the corner, she found him sitting on the low pine bench with some of his teammates. I tried really hard to ignore the men in their various states of undress but there were just too many of them. My nose was crinkling against the smell of old socks and mildew.

"Takeda Masashi-sama. I wish to speak with you." Shizuru's voice was dangerously low and intimate.

He stiffened, turned around and tried to glare at Shizuru. He failed when he noticed me standing right next to her. All of the color flew out of his face and his dark green eyes widened in panic. I was just glad that he was fully clothed.

"Wh-What can I help you with, ladies?" He asked innocently.

"I do not appreciate that you, a leader on this campus, would willingly spread hurtful rumors over a private matter."

"Yeah? They were facts, Shizuru. What people make of them is not my fault."

I decided to add my thoughts. "I don't like that you would look my parents up and then decide to tell a group of Shizuru's fans about my private life. Asshole."

"You won't give me the time of day!"

"There's a reason for it! I. Do. Not. Like. You." I shouted advancing on him. I seriously did not care that I was making a scene. "You know what they said about my mom? My dead mother?"

Shizuru grabbed me and pulled me into her body. "Natsuki, enough." She whispered into my ear.

Takeda watched our interaction with interest. Something clicked behind his eyes.

"So you really are just like her, Natsuki."

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

"Lesbian." He answered with derision.

Okay. It seems like he wasn't as stupid as I thought he was. This could be bad.

His eyes switched to Shizuru. "You and I were friends in high school after all. It wasn't that hard to see that you favored your female fans over your male fans."

"Ara. It seems like I was found out. But that doesn't explain why you did what you did. Natsuki has only ever asked that you let her be and it feels like you are punishing her for it." Shizuru said with some rancor.

"Where you punishing me back then, too? When I found you with Tendo-san?" Shizuru asked with old hurt coloring her voice. "I could have loved you, not as a lover, but as a loyal friend and companion."

"Your loss." I added. Shizuru's friendship is priceless.

Takeda bristled. "You are no better, Natsuki. You walk around campus with those sexy clothes, daring people to approach you then freezing them with your personality. Most guys would give anything to be able to get close to you. I just happened to get lucky when I found you in the woods."

Translation: Those guys just wanted to get in my pants and Takeda was one step closer than the rest. "So, you look up my parents and give the info to some crazy fans so they could harass me. Then swoop in to save my ass when they bullied me too much? So lame."

I had him there, so he ignored me. "Honestly, I didn't care that you are a lesbian, Shizuru. I never agreed to the marriage in the first place. Tendo was my girlfriend after all."

"_I_ could not say no! You know this! I had no way out. All you had to do was say that you didn't want the marriage!" Shizuru exclaimed. "Was it that hard for you to explain that you were already in a relationship? You are doing the same thing now. Staying in the shadows until you can emerge unscathed.

I shall put this bluntly. If you continue to harass Natsuki, I will not hesitate to bring the full weight of my name to bear on you. This will not end well for you, Takeda Masashi-sama." Shizuru's thickly accented voice was soft and menacing.

Takeda's face had gone even paler. He was scared shitless. Not that I could blame him. Shizuru could wield words like I did my knives.

I looked around to find that we had gathered an audience. Most were fully clothed while others were still not dressed.

Geez you would think that the presence of two women in the locker room would make them want to dress on the double quick. I glared at the ones I could see and pointed in the direction of the door. Some got the hint. There were still a couple of stragglers though.

"Hi boys!" A menacingly sweet voice echoed through the room. Nao found us. The rest of the guys bolted out of the room at her presence. Nao's reputation was even more frightening than mine.

Her heels clacked against the bare tiles. When she reached us, she smirked and cocked her hip. The young man from earlier was close behind. I looked him over and finally recognized him. It was Kaito - one of the guards that Shizuru's family hired. He was much better looking in casual clothes. Good for Nao.

"Hey Nao. And Kaito you're looking well. Take care of my friend." Nao scowled at me while Kaito flushed.

"This is so not about my sex life, Kuga." She said. "I have news for you. You know how the boss man asked the school to keep tabs on the fox's records?"

I shared a look with Shizuru. This was what we were hoping for. We couldn't get the information earlier because of legal complications so we asked the record keepers to keep an eye on suspicious activity. "Yeah, did we get a hit?"

"Yup. And you wouldn't guess who it is." She paused and rifled through her purse. Bringing out a small piece of paper, she glanced at it. "Fujisaki Toru" Her raised voice reverberated against the walls of the room. It was almost like she was searching for a response.

Low swearing answered Nao. There was some rustling and the squeaking of shoes from behind one row of lockers. Damn she's good. Nao glanced up at Kaito who nodded and bolted after our suspect.

"He works part time in the records office and happens to be a member of the kendo club." Nao smirked. "How convenient."

She brushed past Shizuru and me whispering, "I'm gonna see if there's more people here. I'll give you a holler if I see anyone. Don't hurt him too much."

I spun and rushed Takeda. Slamming him into the locker doors with my hands fisting his shirt, I snarled in his face. "You and your lackey are going to come with me, Takeda. If you told him to do this, I will make you regret it."

He smirked at me. "Careful…Misaki-kun. I wouldn't want to press charges against you."

Shizuru gasped. I loosened my grip on his shirt and slowly pulled him away from the locker. My mind was reeling. Takeda was the last person that needed to know about my disguise. "I don't care how you figured that out right now. You have to stop feeding information to Tomoe." I said softly. "Shizuru's in danger."

Takeda blinked. "How would you guess that I was feeding information to someone?"

"Would you use Shizuru's personal information to break into her apartment, destroy her room, and leave?" I retorted.

His jaw dropped. "Holy Shit. There's no way I'd be crazy enough to do that."

I glanced at Shizuru, feeling so bad for her. Takeda has hurt her yet again. I pulled him into a standing position, glaring into his eyes. "Let me rephrase the question, then. If you had _my_ personal info, would you destroy my house? Scare me so much that I would have to move?"

Takeda winced. "No…"

"Good, cause that's exactly what Tomoe has done. And she is not finished yet."

I let go of him, and he sunk back on the bench, looking a little lost. The wheels in his head were spinning, but I had no clue what he was thinking.

A loud "Showers, Clear!" echoed through the locker room. I flinched. Nao's such an ass.

Lavender wafted over me as a slim arm slid around my waist. I mirrored Shizuru's actions. Takeda's eyes narrowed at us. Shizuru huffed, noticing his reaction. "You are aware, Takeda-sama, that Natsuki's recent injuries are not a result of a motorcycle crash?"

Takeda's eyes flicked to my neck, where the small burn scar was still visible. He shot them up to meet mine before focusing on the floor "Um… I've always seen her come to school on her black motorcycle so I just thought that her silver one was totaled."

Okay. That was creepy. I hope he doesn't know where I change now.

Shizuru's arm tightened. "No, she has been valiantly protecting me from Tomoe's advances, as Misaki. Rather recklessly, too."

I raised an arm. "Guilty."

"Oh…"

Shizuru carried on. "I don't want to say this, but I will, because Natsuki could get hurt again." She took a breath. "Tomoe is targeting Natsuki. The only thing that is keeping her from attacking Natsuki is Misaki. I do not know how long we can keep her from finding the truth. When she does – she will be relentless."

Nao cleared her throat, having come back from her check of the rest of the room. "Maybe we should take this to a more private location. I haven't found any more idiots but we can't risk it. This is going to be messy." She waved her phone. "Kaito has caught our snooper. Oh and your things are right outside guys."

I nodded. "Thanks Nao - call ARTEMIS and have a van come down." Nao gave me a lazy salute and sauntered out.

I looked down at Shizuru. Her crimson gaze ran over my face. She was doing a wonderful job keeping her emotions in check but those wonderful orbs gave her away. I gave her a squeeze and a small smile. We locked eyes, and I found that I could not look away.

"Does she know, Takeda-kun?" Shizuru asked softly. She broke our gaze to look at him.

Takeda answered just as softly. "I haven't told anyone yet."

I blinked at him, surprised at his tone.

"I am very much aware that you believe I have stolen Natsuki from under your nose. But I need to remind you that if _Tomoe_ is aware of not only Misaki's true identity, but of my relationship with Natsuki, the consequences will not be pleasant." Shizuru spoke in a determined tone.

"I-I don't think you've stolen Natsuki." Said Takeda, sounding very unconvincing.

"I _need_ you to realize that Natsuki could well become a victim if you reveal what you know to anyone." Shizuru lost her determination and had gone soft - almost pleading.

If Takeda made Shizuru repeat herself again, I was going to just knock him out and drag the moron back to ARTEMIS.

Takeda looked at me. "Okay. You got me there. I will help the best I can and I will keep my mouth shut. For Natsuki."

I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. "My hero." I deadpanned. My cell phone vibrated from my back pocket. Retrieving it, I glanced at the screen. It was a text from Nao, saying that the van was waiting.

Stuffing it back into my pocket, I said. "Let's go hero-boy, we have a long talk waiting for us."

I gestured for Takeda to get his ass in gear. Shizuru and I followed him out the room.

* * *

**AN: Whoo-hoo! Another chapter done! Thank you all for your support and all of the great reviews! Favs and Follows are awesome too! **

**I know that I am teasing a lot with the ShizNat scenes- they will get down to it soon! I am just not sure how …um… detailed I want to get. **

**As always, reviews are welcome!**


	13. A Knight Under the Moon

_AN: Hey guys! Wow! Very long time, huh? Thank you for all of your reviews! We made it past 250! Yay! _

_Any mistakes are mine_

_Oh and I have changed the rating to this story to "M" just to be safe. Y'all know what that means…._

* * *

_A Knight Under the Moon_

Waking up from my deep slumber, I noticed that my brand new queen bed was empty. I felt on my left side, where Natsuki should have been, and sighed. I sat up and blinked away the sleep from my eyes.

Moving out of the semi-warmth of the covers and grabbing my favorite robe from the back of the bedroom door, I wondered where my Natsuki had gone to. She'd been having trouble sleeping, thus the impromptu sleepover. The week after Natsuki and her team had taken whatever information Takeda was able to give was hectic to say the least. I found a new apartment and Natsuki was helping me shop for new furnishings since I refused to take anything but the most personal items from my old place. And my interviews were starting to heat up again because of the holiday season.

On top of all that, Reito was halfway done with the paperwork that would allow the ARTEMIS team members' police privileges, meaning they will all able to carry guns. Right now only Natsuki and Chie were legally permitted to do so, as they had licenses. Natsuki never uses hers even though I know she carries it in her ankle holster. I've yet to see Chie indicate that she has one. My only guess was that he wants his team to be better equipped to handle my rather extreme situation.

Takeda, the poor pathetic man, had no idea that Tomoe was manipulating him into doing very illegal things. She had approached him, claiming that she was part of the Kaichou fan club and flattered him into cooperating with her. He'd given her my original address, thinking that she was a simple fan girl who wanted to make sure that her letters were received by her idol.

I shook my head and focused on navigating through the sea of boxes that were planted throughout my new apartment. The large, three-room apartment was in one of the nicest buildings in Fuuka City. The living room had an excellent view of the ocean and the windows opened to an impressive balcony. One of the rooms was a traditional tatami room, which was a nice touch.

I paused in front of that room, noticing the shadow of my wayward lover through the paper door. The moon was high and bright in the early December night. It streamed through the bare window of the tatami room and filtered through the shoji. I slid open the door and sucked in a breath at the sight of my Natsuki, sitting in the middle of the room, back straight and proud. Moonlight shone down on her, causing the white skin that I could see around her tank top to glow and lightened her midnight hair to an incredible navy blue, a clear deep river flowing across her back.

Careful not to disturb her meditation, I circled so I could see her face. This was one of the things Natsuki does to help her calm her temper and curb her insomnia, so Koika had told me. I guessed that Natsuki's constant drawing was one of the things that she did, but I have never actually seen her do something so… drastic. This week must have been quite trying.

I sat down to observe the full effects the moon had on her. She truly looked like a moon goddess, wild and unfettered. I wondered what it would do to her eyes.

"You know, it's kinda hard to do this while you're here, Zuru." Natsuki's low voice broke the silence. There was humor in it, so I knew she wasn't that upset to have been found out.

"Natsuki should know better than to abandon me in my bed." I said with a slight pout. "She is very warm and the winter air is chilly."

"That's not gonna work."

I smiled at the challenge in the husky voice. Swiftly, I stood up and moved to sit at her side. She stiffened when I pressed up against her. "Then I should try harder." I breathed in her ear, only slightly brushing my lips against her and pulled back so I could watch her.

Her face snapped towards me, her deep green eyes locking on me in mock annoyance. They captured me, the pale light of the moon making them seem like a dark forest, vast and mysterious.

"Zuru?"

"Yes, my Natsuki?"

"You okay?"

I smiled. "I am fine. I just was lost in thought there for a moment. The moonlight makes my beautiful Natsuki even more stunning."

Two bright spots of color showed up on her cheeks. But she gave me a pointed look. "Thank you. The moon is but a pale companion to the sun - she can only shine because of her brilliance."

It was my turn to blush at the warm feeling that her words sent through me. Natsuki was getting better at deflecting my teases. I tried to think of a counter but Natsuki had gotten up and held out a hand to me. I took it and she pulled me into her.

"Are you going to tell me why you are meditating at three o'clock in the morning?" I murmured into the crook of her neck. There was weariness in her movements that worried me.

Natsuki heaved a heavy sigh and buried her nose into my hair. "I don't like that you are starting to do more of those interviews. Takeda could still be a threat. I don't like that if I want to be with you now I have to dress as Misaki. And I absolutely hate that I have to hide because of Tomoe." She ended with a gentle growl.

I backed up to study her, saddened. Because school was done, Natsuki and I had made an effort to keep our public appearances together at a minimum. Somehow the attack on my apartment had leaked to the press. Now, everyone wants a piece of the heiress who has a bodyguard boyfriend and is being stalked by a relentless psychopath. The entertainment news and the tabloids were having a field day.

"Oh, Natsuki. I'm so so-"

She stopped my apology with a chaste kiss. "It's okay, Zuru. I know that you do those interviews to help out Mai and Takumi." She cupped my face and looked at me with such tenderness that my heart nearly burst. "I just wanna be able to love you as myself and not through a mask."

I sighed, hating my decision to keep Natsuki out of the public eye. That means that she would have to act and dress as Misaki for the majority of her time until Tomoe was caught True, her personality and Misaki's were essentially the same, but there are small differences between her and her character that she had developed over time. Now that the semester is out, she rarely leaves the privacy of her - or my - apartment as herself.

I brushed back the hair that had gotten into her face and played my fingers along her soft skin. "You have always loved me as you are, Natsuki, no matter what mask you wear."

I leaned in and gave her a kiss. She slid her hands down to pull at my waist, and I shivered at the touch. My fingers found purchase in her hair to deepen the kiss. Somehow she had managed to get her hands underneath my robe and my silk shift and was making bold movements against my stomach. I warmed at the sensation. She hit my belly ring and I released a moan that was swallowed by her mouth. She smiled into the kiss.

I pulled back, having to get air. "Ikezu, Natsuki." I gasped as she started to play at the piercing with a thumb while the rest of her fingers danced across my torso.

Her eyes grew large with false innocence. "Why, Miss Shizuru, I would never have thought that you would get so worked up over a belly ring. Positively scandalous." She drawled in English with a rakish grin. She stopped her ministrations, though, her hands sliding out from under my clothes and closing my robe for me.

"Oh, please continue." I asked politely, in a husky murmur, without meaning to. I was all hot and bothered; all Natsuki had to do was to play with my belly ring. Embarrassed, I felt heat rise up in cheeks. To hide it, I buried my face once again into her shoulder.

Her rumbling chuckle was apologetic. Those wonderful hands of hers were occupying themselves by tracing comforting patterns into my back. I wish we could go further than the touches and kisses - heaven knows I've wanted her for so long. But Tomoe's unwanted presence lingered, still strong even a month and a half after her last attack.

"I love you so much, Natsuki." I said miserably, wishing I could give her the one thing that we both have wanted for so long.

"I love you too, Shizuru." She mumbled, giving me a squeeze in understanding.

We broke out of the hug and I led her back to my room. I slid under my covers and she crawled in as well. I heaved a sigh when Natsuki pulled me into her body and I snuggled into her chest.

"We'll be fine." I said through a yawn.

"I know."

* * *

Takao Nishida, the longtime host of Fuuka Nights eyed me over the top of his small cue cards. A small breeze lifted my hair, reminding me that I was sitting outside on a temporary stage built just to the side of FUUKA TV's main entrance. A large crowd of people hummed behind the camera, separated from us by heavy metal gates.

"Are we going to catch a glimpse of this bodyguard lover of yours?" My interviewer asked.

I leaned back in my chair and crossed my legs. I leveled my eyes at the man wishing that the daggers that I was mentally shooting at him were real. How many times did I have to tell them that I did not wish to speak of Natsuki?

Suddenly chilled, I tried to suppress a shiver but failed miserably. It was mid-December and the temperature was holding out at just above zero. It made me wonder at the collective intelligence of the marketing department. They decided, along with the producer at the last moment- to do the show outside. The studio guests had a section right in front of the barricade roped off and they would get a chance to win free merchandise from the TV dramas that were launching for the holiday week. The rest was free admission, and hundreds of people were packing the small plaza to watch the show. The large station was at our backs but there were two raised walkways to either side, making the stage feel like it was a part of a grand sunken amphitheater. I was partially facing the walkway that gave people the best view of the plaza and they were lining its rails, waving down at me. There was even a wide staircase, lit up in electric blue, in which people were sitting on. The large shopping mall across the street had an open dining area; I could see people dotting _its_ fences too.

I felt exposed. _Damn Yuukiko and her insistence on making me doing live shows!_

"Ara. You could see him at any time. He is always with me." I said with as much innocence that I could muster. This little dance my hosts and I do has become a familiar and tiring experience.

The crowd, which had gone quiet, began to rumble at my response. Takao glanced at the hundreds of people watching us before stating "Well, that is true, but we don't even have his name. All we have is a couple of pictures and some varied descriptions. Why the secrecy?"

The crowd hushed, Takao had cornered me into making a statement. Well almost, but Takao had taken the extra step that the others hadn't.

"My bodyguard is excellent at what he does, but he was never alone in his task. He has a whole team of people that you all will most likely never see." I looked into the crowd, and spotted Nao standing right in front of the barricade and dressed as a crew member, who grinned. "He is the most visible because he has been at my side the most. This comes with a certain risk: injury or even death."

I swung my eyes to a camera and stared straight into it. "As you are all aware, I am being pursued by a rather violent stalker. This person has repeatedly threatened my bodyguard and I do not wish to put him into anymore potential danger by revealing his identity." I gave a little smile and focused on Takao. "I assure you that his name is strong and beautiful, which suits him well." My smile grew as I imagined Natsuki's blush.

The man actually blushed and stuttered. He then straightened and spoke in his smooth TV voice. I assumed that he was told to go to commercial through his earpiece. "Thank you Shizuru-san!" I made gracious noises, and he carried on. "Coming up next - Shizuru-san will take some of your questions!" The crowd roared as the cameras roved over them, many holding up signs made for me.

A flurry of activity erupted around me as the set was moved from the stage to an area barricaded from the crowd. For my part, I was whisked into a small room that acted as a make-up studio and my dressing room, where the artist bounced around me, touching up what little make-up I had on. Japanese commercial breaks lasted about five to ten minutes, but they were less frequent than American ones.

"There you go darling. You are one of the few celebrities that I don't have to work hard for." She said, while eyeing me through the mirror. Coming around to add some powder, she added "Such exquisite bone structure."

There was a cough behind us and the artist looked up. Two spots of red formed on her cheeks.

"Shizuru, you've got a couple minutes left. I would like to speak with you for a bit." Natsuki's deepened voice rumbled through the small space.

"Wow." The artist breathed. "He is so much prettier up close. You're a lucky girl."

_She is far more beautiful as a woman. _"Ara, am I presentable, then?"

"O-oh, yes! To be honest, you didn't even need me! Good luck." The artist snapped out of her ogling and busied herself with her kit.

I slid out of the chair and walked up to Natsuki, who nodded and opened the door for me. She had a grim scowl on her face and I stayed quiet. Her hand found the small of my back, gently guiding me around the corner to a quiet nook in the hall, where she crossed her arms over her puffy black jacket.

"You know how much I do not like this, right?" She asked in a quiet rumble.

"Yes. I am aware. I asked the producers if we could do this part closer to the stage. They said that they had already set up the area and that they made sure there was sufficient room between us and the crowd." I stepped closer. "I am sorry; I did not wish to stir up trouble."

Natsuki took a step forward. "There are too many people between the girls and you. At least on the stage we could get you to a secured area if needed. Going in the crowd is way too risky. You're too vulnerable."

I rested my hands on her hips. "There are more than just a couple minutes left on the commercial break. Is my knight jealous?"

She reached up and I felt her hand run through my hair. Her eyes followed the strands as they fell off her fingers. "No. I…" She cupped my face. "I have a bad feeling. Please, just be more diligent."

Our gazes locked, and I could tell that she was uncomfortable. I started to fidget with her scarf. "Did something happen?"

She remained steady, her thumb stroking at my check, and I leaned into her hand. "Chie found a proxy snooping around our parameter. Aoi is interrogating him now."

I stopped playing with her scarf, and looked down. "Do you want me to end the interview?" Doing so was risky, not to mention rude, but I have never seen Natsuki this nervous about a crowd before.

Natsuki released a puff of air, her arm sliding around my waist to match the other that was already resting there. "Yes…No…Look, this is your call. These people have been waiting a long time for you."

I nodded, musing at how well our bodies fit together. "I'll still do this segment. But only because I don't want to disappoint my fans." I leaned into her warm, solid body and placed my chin on her shoulder.

"Shizuru-san. Two minutes, we must get you in your place." I almost didn't hear the production assistant as she rounded the corner. "Ah - yes, if you could come with me?" She spun her back to us and waited politely.

Natsuki started to growl in her throat. I gave her a soft kiss on her neck, just below the ear. The rumbling stopped, but her arms tightened around me.

"Say my name? My real one." She requested. I closed my eyes, imagining her little lost puppy look.

I brushed my lips against her ear and murmured "I will be careful, Natsuki."

She shivered and nodded into my shoulder before letting me go. I gave her a reassuring pat before heading off.

It was a struggle to stay cheerful throughout the fans' questioning. It was getting closer to sunset with shadows growing longer. I lost eye contact with Nao, and I had no idea where she went. Takao pointed at a nervous young man as he stood up and introduced himself.

"I would like to wish you a happy early birthday, Shizuru-sama." He started off.

"Ara. I thank you. Please, you may call me Shizuru." It was a game that I played with the fans. If they used my name without honorifics, I gave longer answers.

"W-well, Shizuru." I smiled; he was the first man today to do so. "Why choose psychology?"

This was the first time someone asked me about my choice in schooling. "That is an excellent question, Yoshiro-kun. I shall try to be brief." I paused, gathering my thoughts. "When I was younger, I was often alone and friendless. Loneliness is one of the worst things that could happen to a person. I do not wish for anyone to feel that way, so I chose psychology. In this field, you can be that ear to talk to, the shoulder to cry on, and a bright spot in a person's life. It is a heavy burden but one that I am willing to take."

Takao stepped in. "Alright, thank you, Yoshiro-san." He gave me a sly grin and asked. "Speaking of birthdays - I hear that _Kiyohime Castle_ has been booked for a huge one. Could it be that you're holding a party there?"

_Kiyohime Castle_ was a large resort on the shores of the mountain lake, just outside of town. It was famous for its hot springs and Japanese gardens at its center. It made for an excellent location for wedding receptions. Well to do families would often rent out the ball room for extravagant parties. If there was ever a playground for the rich and famous in Fuuka, _Kiyohime Castle_ was it.

No, I had no intentions of throwing myself a party. It was tasteless, if anyone asked me. But my parents had no qualms about throwing big birthday bashes at all. For me. Trying at best, my parents' habit of showing off their wealth often clashed with my own sensibilities.

Hiding my annoyance with a flirtatious smile, I sang out, "Well, as they say, a girl never kisses and tells. And…"

I cut off my speech, noticing movement through the crowd on my left. A man jumped over the low fence and stood in the path, where we were to exit. A second man joined him, wearing what looked like a security officer's uniform. Silent as ghosts, they moved towards my host and me.

The crowd had quieted to a low spattering of voices. The people in the front had pulled out their cell phones. I glanced to my sides, trying to find my bodyguards, but they were nowhere in sight.

Takao tried to look brave but his eyes gave him away. "Sirs, can I help you?"

One of them answered with a line straight out of a comic book, "We want the girl. If you don't want to get hurt, let us take her." The crowd gasped and calls for 119 erupted from the mass of people. There was a small chance of anyone doing more than that.

Natsuki, who was stationed just out of sight, ran in a full sprint down the path at the two men. I fought the urge to back up - there was nowhere to go and more people could be in the crowd waiting to grab me.

I was scared out of my mind right now, but I had forced the feeling deep. Now was not the time to be a weeping princess. Scooting closer to the middle of the small semicircle, I sent my gaze around the crowd, trying to ignore the spectacular fight that was happening before me. I had to make sure I wasn't caught.

Where were Nao and Chie?

It was obvious that these two men were not simple street thugs, as they moved with the same efficiency that Natsuki did. Natsuki was a talented athlete, fast and nimble, but she was outweighed by her opponents by a substantial amount. She couldn't sustain too many direct hits. Natsuki let out a grunt as she took a blow and her guard dropped. One of them saw an opening and quickly tried to take advantage.

I gasped and turned away, only to find myself face to face with another man. He grinned and grabbed at me. I scrabbled out of the way, darting around my only shield, Takao. The idea of hiding behind this man was not appealing, but I didn't have the skills to get into a fight with a large man.

"Here, girly, girly. You sure are much prettier than any of the pictures that I've seen." He sneered at me, and then turned his beady stare at Takao. "Oi! Anchorman! Move your scrawny ass outta the way, or I will move it for ya."

The poor man cowered and I felt bad for him. I moved to stand by his side and held my chin up, letting my disgust show on my face. "What do you want with me?"

"Somethin' that's not appropriate for family TV."

"Wow, and how are you going to get me out from under the watchful eye of the TV cameras to have your manly way with me?" I asked, in a calm voice while cocking my head to the side. It was a reasonable question in my opinion.

The question threw him off, or more like my tone did, and he paused. A large metallic bang reverberated from the fight between Natsuki and the two professionals. A quick glance told me that Natsuki had downed one of her opponents. I switched my gaze back to the thug. Clearly, he had more muscles than brains. He was watching me with a strange combination of caution and lust.

He opened his mouth and I cut him off, "Ara! I do hope that you are thinking twice about your actions as my guard," I pointed at Natsuki, who was gaining an upper hand in her fight, "does not like it when people touch me."

He straightened, seeing a challenge in Natsuki. Men. Natsuki was a deadly weapon, and this goon wanted to prove himself.

"Lady, you've got a sharp tongue. I bet you are really good at using it for other things." He said, taking a menacing step forward. I stood my ground. This man was not nearly as frightening as Tomoe.

"Stop!" A low husk rang out. "If you move one step closer, I will have my sniper take you out." Natsuki growled. She stood behind her fallen opponents, her eyes blazing.

The large man scoffed. "What sniper?" As if on cue, a red dot appeared on his chest.

Takao pointed at the dot. "Th-There!"

He looked down, then up at Natsuki with a smirk. "Yeah right buddy. I've seen this done way too often."

"Do not test me on this. I will do what I have to in order to keep her safe." Natsuki's voice was closer. "I do not bluff."

The man took a step forward, and the sharp report of a rifle echoed off the buildings nearby. More than a few people screamed. The man fell to the ground, clutching at his leg, crying out in pain.

I stood rooted to my spot, staring at the man in horror. Natsuki flew at him and rammed a fist into his temple. He slumped over, unconscious. Her busy hands maneuvered him around to inspect his leg, revealing her signature black knife. She glared at the wound and sighed.

"I told him not to move. They're gonna have to pull it out." She muttered to herself, then performed a graceful spin and flowed towards me. Her eyes were warm but intense as she ran them over me, checking for injuries.

"You okay?"

I gave her a faint nod. "I assume that everyone else is well?"

Suddenly, the crowd burst into cheers. Screams of Shizuru-sama and bishi-sama were heard. We glanced at each other and smiled. Well, at least this drove my point home.

I turned to Takao, finding that he had a cameraman with him. He was speaking rapidly into his microphone. I could feel Natsuki's ire rising and moved to her side, but refrained from slipping an arm around her waist and running my fingers along her stomach. It was a comforting gesture for the both of us, but it was too private.

"Hey!" Natsuki glared at Takao as he turned at the sound of her voice. "Are you going to end the show? We need to get her outta here, like pronto. There could be more guys waiting in the wings to nab her. D'you wanna get Fujino-san kidnapped? "

"But we have another five minutes left. And the producers have already called the authorities."

"Then you can fill it by yourself. You have enough hot air." She turned and held out her hand for me. I grabbed it and she gave me a gentle tug before setting off for my dressing room at a brisk pace. People along the gates were clapping politely, and I waved at them. Emergency personnel hurried by us.

Natsuki leaned in. "You're trembling, Zuru. You're fine now. Nao and Chie are okay. Nao found a couple of guys trying to sneak around inside your room. They were station staff as far as I know, and she was royally pissed at them so she, ah, tied them to the ceiling of the men's room. Aoi was never in the fighting, she was monitoring us in the van. I'm fine, except for a couple of bruises." She paused. "I saw what you did and I am so proud of you."

I nodded, "I really thought you had him shot."

We reached my small room and stepped inside. Once the door closed, I slumped rather ungracefully into my chair. Natsuki's arms snaked around me from behind and she murmured, "I'm sorry that I had to do that, but I didn't want him to get a hold of you. If that guy had been able to use you as a hostage, it could have gotten ugly. I had Chie monitor the situation from above with her rifle just in case. Plus I needed to show any more potential kidnappers that I am serious about your safety."

"Okay, but why the elaborate diversion? It seems a little much to me."

Natsuki sighed. "Well, for one we are not quite cleared to use guns on an assailant unless he is armed. I used the sound of the gun going off to distract him from seeing me pull out my knife. The way he went down simulated a gunshot and the hope was to scare away anymore proxies. And he can't nail me with excessive force, because I did use a knife instead of having Chie blow off a chunk of his leg."

"Ara, my knight is quite the tactician. Since the gun laws are so strict, most people have never heard a real gunshot go off - even a potential yakuza member wouldn't have that much experience. A pistol, maybe, but a rifle? No. That was frightening, and I hope I don't hear that again."

"Sorry, Zuru." Natsuki said, but sounded rather proud that her plan had worked out so well. I almost rolled my eyes. It seems that Natsuki was a bit of a military geek.

I leaned into her. "I am fine. We now have another problem." Natsuki sucked in a breath. I chuckled and rubbed her arms. "My parents are throwing me a birthday party and we need to convince my mother to allow you to come."

"Well that's just crap-tastic. Don't they know you hate parties?" Natsuki grumbled.

A small laugh escaped my lips and I started to relax. I would feel this day for a while, but now I was just grateful that I was with my favorite person.

* * *

Annoyed crimsons glared back at me through the mirror. I had just come back from yet another news show. It was frustrating, to say the least, when all of the questions that were thrown at me were about my crazy fan base. More specifically, the host wanted very much to speak about the extravaganza that occurred two days ago. I was not a gracious guest, but I was on the show to speak of politics, not my personal problems. Not being gracious, in my terms, was teasing my interviewer mercilessly until he relented.

Natsuki and her team had taken information from the six men that they had captured. The thug was harmless. He had only used the distraction to get closer to me. The "pros" as Nao liked to call them worked for a security company. Of course, they refused to disclose who their client was, which was normal according to Natsuki. True to my prediction, the men had orders to "put Misaki down." This could mean anything from roughing Natsuki up to killing her.

We finally had a name to go with the proxies. Now we needed the thread that connected Tomoe to them.

I was waiting for my turn on the next show, its set just down the hall from the news talk program that I had been released from. I walked into the building wearing a conservative shirt and pants, and now I was sporting a slick soft dress that hugged my curves.

My dressing room door opened and shut with a soft click. "You realize that you just left poor Tanaka-san in a puddle of hormonal goo?" Natsuki asked in her deepened voice.

I followed her movements through the mirror, choosing not to answer just then. She sat down with a tired huff and gave me a bored stare.

When she was comfortable, I spun out of my chair and sauntered over to her. "He was being a terrible host. I wasn't going to answer those questions. They were inane and not appropriate for the show."

"Teasing him like that was low." She chided, even as she grew nervous upon my approach.

I straddled her lap, making sure not to rip my dress, and leaned in to brush my lips against hers. "Natsuki must want me to turn her into a puddle of hormonal goo." I murmured while caressing her shoulders and arms.

"Mm. Goo can't do anything back though. I definitely would want to return the favor."

"Ara, that's too bad, you would be cute. I was only trying to get him to talk about the topics that were originally given to me." I pouted.

Her hands ran up my thighs, pushing the skirt up to dangerous heights and causing me to shiver. "Yeah, yeah. I know you can't help yourself but please try to tone it down. I don't want to have to fight off an army of angry wives _and_ Tomoe." She wandered up my back, and raised an eyebrow when her fingers contacted skin. "Wow, slinky."

I traced my own fingers up to stroke at the back of her neck and played with her new voice alternator. The sensations she was giving me were pleasantly distracting and I needed to focus so I wasn't a hot mess when I walked out for my interview.

She cocked her head to the side and grabbed my hands, playing with them. "Shizuru, what size is your ring finger?" She asked, studying the interplay between our fingers.

I was shocked into silence and she looked up, blushing. "Um, since Nao and I have a bad habit of disappearing and showing up injured, Aoi has been developing a GPS chip that would fit into a piece of jewelry. She's integrating one into my necklace as we speak." She paused and grasped my hands in a firm, yet gentle grip. "I was wondering if you wouldn't mind wearing a ring - just in case."

I smiled at her, even while she mumbled quickly, "It doesn't have to be anything flashy - just a band would work."

"Ara, is Natsuki _proposing?"_ I asked in a playful gasp.

Natsuki, being Natsuki, burned bright red and shook her head vehemently. "No! I wasn't! I…" Her face went slack and then she growled. "Dammit, get off me."

"Natsuki ikezu." I giggled softly, wishing that she would never change. "Natsuki looks cute in red." I didn't get off, since she'd pull me right back down anyways.

She sighed in defeat. Reaching up to brush my bangs, she said, "If I were to propose to you, I'd do much better. And I would make sure your mom won't kill me first."

Well, that sobered me up. "Have you spoken to mother about the party?"

She groaned and bumped her head into my chest. "Did she tell you that she didn't want us to go together? I mean, yeah, it would look weird but I know that Mai and Takumi are going as each other's date. So why can't we?"

"You know why. She thinks that we would lose our cover, putting us both at risk. Since the Marguerites must be invited, she doesn't want to give Tomoe the excuse to act up."

As if on their own, my fingers began to comb through her wig's hair.

Natsuki growled into my breasts. I really should have made her sit back, since I could feel her short breaths through the light material of my dress. Having her mouth so close to my breasts was arousing and frustrating at the same time. "Yeah, about that. I think we should sit down with your parents and have a nice chat. I can't believe that they are willing to invite the -"

I clapped a hand over her mouth to stop her ranting, effectively pushing her head away from me. "Does Natsuki wish for me to set up a formal meeting? She must wish to propose, no?" I teased.

"I already set up a meeting." She said after pulling my hands down.

"Ara! When is it going to take place?" I asked, wondering how Natsuki could be so bold. Yet again she has surprised me.

She gave me a curious look. "Um… A day before your party. We're having dinner at _Bell_. You know - the restaurant on the top floor of the_ Kiyohime_." I nodded. _Bell_ was quite famous for its food and the enormous bell that hung in the middle of the restaurant.

"You're not angry?"

"No. You surprised me, is all."

"Oh…kay. Your mother chose the restaurant, by the way. I think she wants to make sure that I don't cause a scene."

By the look on her face, Natsuki knew that she had to dress up and didn't want to do it. It was ridiculously adorable. I giggled. "I look forward to it. It will be most interesting." I kissed her nose and slid off her, making sure to grind against her while I was at it. Natsuki gave a low groan.

"Zuru? Has anyone told you that you are a terrible tease?" Natsuki whined.

I smoothed out the dress and made my way to the door.

"Yes. But I put more of an effort for Natsuki." I said with a coy glance over my shoulder, happy that I had managed to catch her staring at my backside. Not that hard, though; Natsuki seemed to have a fascination with my rear. "Really, Natsuki is such a flatterer!"

She knew that she'd been caught. "Goddamn perfect assets...looking all awesome in that dress..."

"My ring size is six, by the way." I said over my shoulder. I closed the door and leaned on it.

A muffled "Shizuru!" came through the door and I had to stifle a giggle before walking away.

* * *

I stood at the entrance of the _Bell_, nervously waiting for Natsuki to show up. For all of my teasing, I understood that this was a rare chance - neutral ground on which I could speak to my family about my feelings.

_Natsuki had better hurry, she is already late._ I thought, as I ticked off the fifteenth person I'd caught staring at me in my silky strapless dress. The color was an unnamed in-between shade of tan and gold. I loved it because it subtly enhanced my skin tones and the golden highlights in my hair. It hugged my curves in all the right places and, right now, gentleman number ten was eyeing those curves in appreciation. I wiggled my fingers at him. He nearly spilled his drinks and gave me what he thought was a charming smile. I could feel my ever-present grin grow predatory. Might as well have a bit of fun if Natsuki was going to be late.

A delicious chill ran up my spine. Immediately, I dismissed the man and cast my gaze around the lobby, looking for my dark girlfriend. I found her marching over to me from the elevators, her trademark scowl gracing her perfect features.

_Ara_. She looked amazing. How can someone make leather look that classy? She came closer, moving like a shadow, her black boot-cut pants like a second skin and her high heeled boots adding to her height. I could see a silver corset-styled top under her short black jacket. It showed off her shapely breasts but its hem brushed low on her stomach, so no skin showed between her pants and top. One side of her hair was pinned back with a silver clip at her temple, exposing a long creamy neck.

"Come on, Shizuru. You're gonna make us late." She said with a cocky smile. Oh, dear, she knew she looked stunning and wore it for shock value. Well shock she has. My turn.

I grabbed her arm, pressing into her, and eyed her through lowered lids. "I thought Natsuki wished to stay inconspicuous." I murmured, slipping an arm around her to brush my fingers dangerously low against her back.

"You're one to talk." She rumbled. I ignored the jab.

"Ara, real leather! So soft, yet strong and supple." I breathed when I felt the leather of her pants, but the effect was probably not as strong, since I was grinning like a fool. Natsuki was just so much fun.

Natsuki blushed and, noticing my grin, rolled her emerald eyes. "Let's go. Your parents are gonna kill me."

We wove our way through the restaurant, still arm in arm. When we spotted our parents, Natsuki leaned down slightly and whispered, "You look awesome tonight." She gave my arm a reassuring squeeze before dropping it and moving slightly away.

We both bowed at my parents before sitting down. My father watched Natsuki pull off her jacket and place it on her chair. Her top had thin straps to hold it up but did nothing to hide her impressive arms, or her wonderful curves. Long, lean muscles moved smoothly under her skin as she worked, and I had to force my gaze to focus on my parents.

"Father and Mother, this is Kuga Natsuki, my best friend. She is also on Misaki-kun's team of bodyguards as his second in command." Mother twitched and smiled. Father just continued to eye Natsuki, appreciation evident in his eyes.

Natsuki nodded her head gracefully, catching both of my parents' attention with her powerful gaze. "It is nice to finally meet you all in person. I am sorry that I was late, but for some reason I had some trouble with parking." Her husk was low and warm. She even smiled. It was tiny, but there it was.

Mother studied her with intense interest. This was the first time she had seen Natsuki since the hospital. When I found out that she had visited her, it annoyed me. Mother seemed genuinely concerned for her health and I had to relent. Because of her intervention, Natsuki was able to leave the hospital earlier than what was recommended. Natsuki's recovery at my home was faster because she was more comfortable there.

"I must thank you for protecting my daughter." Mother gushed. "Since you are working for ARTEMIS, I know that your skills must match your beauty."

With a charming grin, Natsuki said "Well, I just count myself lucky. Shizuru is a very easy client to deal with. She's even helped us with her own protection. Misaki and I have been able to dispatch our team more effectively because of her profile work."

"Indeed." My father couldn't seem to keep his eyes up, even as he nodded. "Kuga-san, you must be quite… talented."

I nearly gasped. Mother gave my father an annoyed look. We both knew that my father had just insinuated that Natsuki had used her looks to gain her position. Only my training was keeping me from verbally lashing out at my father. We were in a public area and Fujinos are always composed, at least publicly.

Natsuki's posture changed, reminding me of a wild wolf who had just scented its prey. "Fujino-sama, I am talented in a variety of ways, but I worked very hard to get where I am today. Talent only goes so far." She stood up suddenly. "If you would excuse me, I must use the ladies' room."

I watched her navigate through the tables before looking at my father. "Natsuki is not just another pretty face, Father. Do not underestimate her skills. She rivals Misaki-kun's abilities." Irritation leaked into my voice and my father winced.

He cleared his throat. "Isn't there a dress code? Kuga-san's attire is too indiscreet."

"I have seen many young women pass us with far less on." Mother countered while nodding at someone behind me. Father's gaze followed, and then his expression turned into a disgusted grimace.

"That should be illegal." He muttered. Our drinks arrived and he took a quick sip of his fancy imported micro-brewed beer.

I sighed. "Natsuki rides a motorcycle. Her leathers are fashionable and utilitarian." My tone told them to drop the issue.

Watching them carefully, I took a deep breath, working up the courage to tell my parents to stop interfering with my life. "Mother, Father. I wish to speak with you about an important issue."

My parents looked at each other, and turned their eyes back to me. Mother looked anxious. Father was curious. "As you are well aware, I have a stalker who has a fair amount of power because of their family name. Why then, would you throw a party in my name and invite this person to said extravaganza?"

"Well, you are aware that the family is influential. Not inviting -"

"I am well aware of the politics, Father. Please do not insult my intelligence. Perhaps I should re-phrase the question. Why would you throw a party, knowing full well that you _had_ to invite this family?" My tone was bordering on insolent but I did not care. Not only do I hate these things, but being forced into the same area with Tomoe made me ill.

"Sweetheart. You are a celebrity. Stars are meant to shine. We tried, we really did, but they forced our hand. Your father has made sure to hire extra security. As a compromise, we have asked that Tomoe is told not to bother you." Mother said gently.

"Even the sun is covered by clouds every once in a while. Yet we know that it is still there, making us yearn for bright days again." Natsuki was back, and she was carrying two beverages in her hands.

She swooped down and handed me a drink. "I didn't pay for these by the way." She murmured in an amused tone. She was far too close to me for my mother's comfort, and she gave a short cough.

Natsuki sat down and glared at the drink in front of her. "If you look at the situation from my perspective, I would say that having a party is okay. But inviting half of the upper-echelon of Japanese society is not wise." She turned her glare on my parents. "Do you realize that you have invited a violent sociopath to have open season on her? If she is at a party in which she is allowed to attend, I cannot do anything to keep her away from Shizuru. She is a stalker. It's almost like throwing a recovering alcoholic into a liquor store and telling them they can have their pick."

They looked stunned. I had to make sure that they understood what Natsuki meant. "I believe what Natsuki is trying to say is that by inviting the family, and by extension, my stalker, you are enabling her. If I am in an area where it is socially acceptable for her to approach me, she will most likely seize the chance. Even with the warning, she won't be able to help herself."

My voice became harder. "I have expressly told her not to come anywhere near me because quite frankly she scares me. At the party, she is pretty much able to do what she wishes with me, as long as it doesn't cross any boundaries. Do you have any idea what it is like to live your life wondering when, where, and how this person appears? I am always glancing over my shoulder just to make sure the shadows I see are not hers."

The words tumbled out, and I could feel tears forming in my eyes. A warm hand rubbed my arm with friendly comfort and I glanced over at Natsuki to give her a small smile. She gave me a warm one in return. Bolstered by the gesture, I looked up at my parents. They looked uncomfortable.

I carried on, driving my point home. "I do not mind if you do things like this, because I love you and you me. But I need you to understand that I am not like the other heiresses. I do not need to reaffirm my status with symbols because I could care less. Please, I simply wish to be left alone."

Mother gasped. "Shizuru, you know we love you. Why the sudden change in heart?"

"And I you. However, I cannot help but feel like I am a doll, to be brought out every once in a while to be admired and then put away. I have played the part for as long as I can, but this – this is getting to be too much." The bitterness of ten years of pain was pouring into me. I did not wish to be placed atop a pedestal.

"Shizuru! That is enough. Where are your manners, girl?" Father spoke sternly. "I did not ask you to do what you did, do not play the martyr now."

Natsuki, who was sipping at her own drink, slammed it down on the table, rattling the china and our salad plates. "Sir, I have always wondered why it was Shizuru's boss and not her family who hired ARTEMIS for her protection. Now I know. I despise you." She met my father's eyes with her own cold greens. Her simple declaration held an edge to it that I have only heard once. That was when she had pinned Takeda to the ground.

My father bristled and my mother placed a placating hand on his arm while shooting Natsuki a warning glare.

"You ungrateful whelp! Where is your professionalism? Now that I recall, that little redhead was the same. If Kruger-kun and you are the leaders, then it is no wonder your team are a group of hooligans." He said, his voice dripping with distain.

Natsuki stiffened, then relaxed into her mien of calm predator. I could feel the cold radiating off her. "Sir, you may insult me all you want. But I will not allow you to attack the character of my team. I advise that you retract that statement or I will find a way to make you regret it."

Natsuki's voice sent a cold shiver down my spine. "Father, please. Natsuki is a good friend and is just worried about my safety." I said softly.

"Dear, Kruger-kun has already proven his skill and loyalty to our daughter. And Kuga-san has come as a friend, not as a security consultant." Mother said in a reasonable voice.

"If she is anything like that young man than she could fly off the handle at any time."

Natsuki gave an irritated huff. "Hello! Still here remember?"

Mother gave her a look. "Kuga-san, you are not helping your case."

My father looked between Natsuki and me. I'd placed a restraining hand on her knee. "Shizuru, I noticed that you've invited your pet," He nodded at Natsuki, who proceeded to growl softly in her throat, "and her co-workers, yes?"

I sighed; Father was trying to goad Natsuki into another outburst. "Yes, father. They are my friends after all."

"If she cannot keep her temper, I am afraid that she might cause trouble with the other guests. Perhaps it would be best if her and her coworkers were to stay away."

My mother and I were shocked; it was terribly rude to revoke an invitation so close to a party. Natsuki was confused, as if she was expecting to be banned but not the rest of her team.

"Darling, is that really necessary? I am sure that Kuga-kun and her associates will behave themselves." My mother said with a smile towards Natsuki.

Natsuki relaxed and swept a bow from her seat, similar to the one she executed at the masquerade, causing my mother's to eyes sparkle with humor. I stifled a giggle behind my hand. Natsuki is such a charmer.

Father glared at my raven haired girlfriend. She did not back off like she was supposed to. Instead she simply stared back at him with her gleaming eyes, which made him angrier. His expression visibly darkened.

My mind raced. I needed to stop this disastrous conversation before it got further out of hand. Mother liked Natsuki for some reason but Father did not like to be challenged. Father was none too pleased that Natsuki had not risen to his goading. I spoke again, in my Kyoto-ben, grateful for my musical voice. "You didn't ask father, but I wanted to help you. Even though our political views are different, I do love you and only wished for your success. No one would have guessed that the situation has spiraled into something so unsavory. I am asking you for your support through this trying time."

I punctuated my speech by performing a seated bow. As if by magic, a dignified waiter whisked up to our table and asked for everyone's orders. The tension between Natsuki and my father lessoned as we concentrated on our orders. When the task was finished, they went back to their staring contest.

_I wonder what his reaction would be if I told him about our relationship. _He did not like Misaki at all, but it was a whole different thing with Natsuki. As Misaki, she was attempting to be more polite in Kyoto. Her outburst was Natsuki being who she was - brash and blunt, but loyal to the last.

I glanced at my mother who gave me a pointed look and then gazed at Natsuki. Her expression softened and I could tell that she approved of our relationship. More importantly, she approved of Natsuki. At least one good thing has come from this debacle.

I did not believe that the dinner would change my parents' perspective of me and I doubt they listened to my words. They were out there and, for now, that was enough.

* * *

The party was a huge success. Other than one instance at the beginning, Tomoe hadn't come near me at all. Probably because all my friends took turns hovering about me like vengeful birds of prey.

I had fun, and was glad that I was able to introduce Mai to Reito. Reito was invited because of his ties to the businesses in the area and because of his prominent family name. Father had no idea that he was the head of the very same company that employed his least favorite people. Mai was invited because I insisted upon it. This was not a stuffy business party, but actually felt like a birthday party thrown for someone in their early twenties. Alcohol flowed and a DJ was pumping out dance and techno. The older guests made it a point to stay in the lounge, while the younger members of the crowd had a blast.

The only mar on a wonderful evening was that Natsuki had yet again been banished from attending it. I had argued all day, trying to tell him that I would feel much better with Natsuki at the party with me, but my father refused to budge. He was still upset that Natsuki had called him on his priorities. Mother had to concede that my raven haired troublemaker had gone too far, thus the ban. Father even had his and the hotel's security people memorize her face so that she couldn't sneak in. Luckily, Natsuki was still staying in one of the rooms, since it was a long drive back down to Fuuka City. She had driven her bike up and it was currently snowing, like a proper December day and night.

Now, I walked out of the bath, with nothing but my favorite silk robe on and slid into the large bed to catch up on some reading. It was one in the morning but the adrenaline of the party was still flowing through me and I needed to find something to relax. After flipping through the book in an absent manner, I sighed and put it down on the bed beside me. I was still restless.

With a huff, I rolled out of the bed and started to my huge sliding doors. I tugged the heavy curtains back, leaving the sheer in place. Feeling the chill through the frosted panes, I doubled back to grab a blanket off the bed and moved back to the window, where two chairs were place at its corner. I curled in one of them to watch the snow fall on my balcony.

_It's beautiful in a lonely sort of way_. I decided, as I followed the path of a mound of snow that had fallen off the dead cherry tree that sat just in front of my balcony. The light dusting of white created soft light as it reflected the man-made ones from the rooms around mine and the lamps in the garden.

A shadow crossed my vision, too large to be an animal, and I sat up. Suddenly frightened I climbed over the chair, trying to search through the darkness for any movement.

I hit the bed with my the backs of my thighs, sat down and watched, amazed as Natsuki melted out of the night, prowled over to my doors, and began to work on the locks. She popped the lock and slid into the room, gently shutting the door before casting her eyes about. They widened when she saw me in the semi-dark.

"Ara, Natsuki is very naughty, climbing up here like that." I said with a smile. It was good to see her.

"You're not gonna ask how I figured out where your room was, are you?" She asked softly, with a hint of pride and amusement.

"Natsuki frightened me so I will not. I imagine that it was very sneaky."

She walked up to the bed and sat next to me. "Yeah, it was, because your dad told the asshole standing outside your room that, in no uncertain terms, I am not allowed to visit you. He is so childish."

"Well, he thinks that you are a bit of a hussy, and being put down by you has left him quite bitter."

"He needs to have thicker skin. I mean, I can't even give you my gift without going through the whole building to find a room with a bodyguard standing outside it - way too obvious by the way - and then using the -"

I laughed, because Natsuki was so proud of herself. "Natsuki is so cute being proud of breaking and entering. Little vagabond."

She pouted. "Jeez, Zuru. I just wanna see you and I have to jump through freaking rings of fire to get to you."

She leaned over, and flicked on the lamp that was imbedded in the wall next to the bed. I watched her, wondering what she had gotten me. I told her that I didn't want anything from her but she has not heeded my request. Naughty indeed.

She stuffed her hands into her tight sweatshirt, moving them around. Her face started to scrunch up in irritation.

"Ara, did Natsuki forget her present because she was so excited to show off her snooping skills?" I asked, amused.

Her eyes flicked around the room as she muttered to herself, ignoring me. I pouted, and she swung her gaze back at me. Her eyes lit up in relief and something else that I couldn't identify. "Oh! There it is…" Her hand shot out and her fingers brushed up against my ear.

Those emeralds narrowed in concentration and she jerked her arm as if she was having trouble pulling on something. "Wow it's really stuck."

I felt something cold and hard touch my ear and jumped. She grinned as she pulled her hand away and held up her little gift between us. A gasp escaped my lips and Natsuki gave a brilliant smile.

"Happy Birthday, Zuru."

The small item in her hand was a ring- a band made of a light dusky rose gold. Tiny bright red gemstones threw off the light to create a dazzling dance of color across the unusual pattern etched in it.

"Natsuki… it looks beautiful. Ookini." I breathed as I took the little treasure from her fingers. I studied it and found that the pattern was that of two lines, weaving loosely through each other. I turned the ring and found that they did not have a beginning or an end. Not even the gemstones disrupted them as they were set in the gaps.

Natsuki noticed and explained. "Those patterns you see are Celtic Knots. They are said to represent wisdom and kindness that have no beginning or end. They represent a part of you, Shizuru."

I looked into her eyes, and blushed. "Ara, Natsuki is too sweet. She spoils me." She smiled and gestured at the ring. It seems like there was more to it.

On the inside, there was a phrase etched into it in beautiful English calligraphy. "The will to do, the soul to dare?"

Natsuki nodded. "You have the strongest will I have seen." She reached out and placed a hand over my heart. "You also have the heart to do anything you want, be anyone you want to be. It's not quite the right interpretation of the quote, but it suits you. You don't fit into any true definition." Her voice was a gentle murmur, and I could see that she was embarrassed.

I moved my gift around; fascinated that someone would put so much effort into making a ring for me. I have had people give me rings before, but they were like cheap trinkets compared to this. Another word caught my eye, and it looked like a name. "Ai-ne." I tried pronouncing it in Japanese, even as I knew it was wrong.

Natsuki shook her head, and gently pulled the ring out of my grasp. She held my hand in hers and slipped it on my ring finger. "Áine" She said, pronouncing it as "Awn-yah".

I looked at her in confusion, thinking that it was such a pretty name, if a little strange. I then glanced down and stared at the ring on my finger. I felt like it belonged there. And I warmed as Natsuki went into her explanation.

"Áine was the Celtic goddess of the sun, fidelity and has been considered a queen of fairies. She's been associated with the hot and bright summer sun, and midsummer festivals were held in her name." She took a breath. "You are like that sun, Zuru. You have such warmth and kindness. Did you know that you make a room brighter when you walk into it? I'm not trying to sound like some romantic nut, because I've asked others if they thought so too, and they agreed. Even your coloring is like summer. Your skin, your hair, and your gorgeous eyes."

I blushed further; Natsuki is such a romantic fool. But she is my fool. With that thought in mind I leaned in to capture her lips, reveling in their taste. Our knees were touching as we had both shifted our hips so one leg was on the bed and the other dangling off the side. We were too far apart in my opinion. I broke our kiss and saw that Natsuki's eyes were lidded and she was blushing. I shuffled closer and grabbed at the hem of Natsuki's sweater. She had far too many clothes on.

Natsuki chuckled. "Yes, Shizuru?" She grabbed my hands and stopped their movements.

"Natsuki needs to strip." I demanded.

"Yes ma'am." She purred and with a sultry submissiveness that belayed the challenge in her eyes. For some reason, that look was just so…_hot. _My breath hitched and I felt pleasant heat settle in my lower stomach. She let go of my hands and let me push her clothing up, making sure to caress her marvelous stomach as I went. When I reached her breasts, I traced along the edge of her bra before cupping one through the silky material. Natsuki's groan reverberated through the room as I cupped its twin.

"Fujino-sama! Is everything ok?" The guard who stood outside my door called while knocking on the wood.

Oh, I had forgotten about him. I stifled my irritation at the interruption and looked at my pale girlfriend.

Natsuki had stiffened with a panicked look on her face. I pulled away from her and gave her a swift kiss. "Do not move; I will make sure he doesn't bother us further." I sauntered over to the door, in the dark as Natsuki had turned off the light, and opened it so I could poke my head out.

"Why were you pounding on the door?" I was being rude but the man had ruined a moment.

"W-well I thought I heard something."

"Are you sure? I was just finishing up my reading." I glared up at him, "Please do not be so hasty next time." Then I softened my gaze, feeling somewhat bad for him. "Thank you for all of your hard work. Please try to relax. Call for a chair to rest in. That is an order."

The man stuttered and bowed. I said goodnight and shut the door, eager to get back to where we had left off. Natsuki, however, was not seated on the bed. Slowly moving into the room I was startled when a pale, strong arm snaked its way across my waist. I froze, feeling my hair being pulled from my neck then warm soft lips making their way up and down my neck.

"Sorry, Princess, but tonight is going to be for you, if you'll let me." Natsuki murmured against my skin. She then traced her fingers down to wrap around my waist to join her other hand. I laid a hand on one arm and the other I buried in Natsuki's midnight tresses. Her hands then began to move as she mapped my body.

I craned my neck to the side and shivered. I couldn't think of anything so I just nodded against her.

She continued to work on my neck and shoulder, her nose nuzzling aside the fabric of my robe. Lips and tongue swirled and sucked, but she was careful not to use her teeth. She came back to worry at the sensitive spot just under my jaw, and she pressed down hard, her teeth only lightly scraping my skin, sending bolts of sensation into me.

I let out a rush of air, my legs barely keeping me upright and I had to untangle my hand from Natsuki's hair and grab a hold of her arm just to stay balanced.

Nastuki's mouth left me with a soft smack and she urged me to turn to face her. I complied and once again pulled her into a deep kiss, wasting no time to push my tongue into her mouth. I felt tugging on my waist and then cool hands press into my breasts. I let out a gasp and buried my nose into the crook of her neck as she began to rub and massage them. She also moved me back to the bed and I felt my bare legs hit the bed.

A moan threatened to escape and I clamped down on her neck to stifle it. My action elicited a gasp, much to my pleasure, and I felt her shudder against me. My tongue darted out to taste her skin, soothing the welt that I had left and a soft growling groan filled my ears. Desire plunked into the pit of my belly. Her stomach muscles worked against me, accommodating for her heavy breathing and I realized that she'd managed to open my robe.

"Sneaky Natsuki." I purred into her.

"You gotta pay attention." She said in English. I detected a hint of smugness in that low husk and swatted her shoulder with a shaky hand. She pulled away and with agonizing slowness, she stroked up to push at my collar, and I let go to aid the removal of my garment.

I shivered as it puddled to the ground, leaving me clad in only my new ring, as the cool air hit my heated skin.

Her heated gaze raked over me in that warm predatory way I thought she reserved only for me. More pleasurable heat settled into me. I went into her arms, seeking her warmth. Those strong arms went about me and she guided me to lie on the bed before she pulled my legs apart and settled in between them.

I stiffened as she paused above me, unwanted images flashing across my vision. Natsuki sensed my unease and ran comforting hands through my tangling mane. Then she leaned down; all I could see was kind, intense emeralds. I sucked in a breath and smiled at her through watery eyes, relaxing into her touch. Natsuki was here and that was all that mattered. I felt secure with whatever heights she was going to take me.

Natsuki saw this and she made a small noise of wonder.

"Shizuru, you are so beautiful." She whispered in awe. Her fingers sifted through my fringe before she cupped my cheeks to place a gentle kiss on my lips.

Her lips left mine to trail a warm wet path down my body. She stopped at my breasts to give them loving attention, and causing me to arch into her touch.

I buried a hand, once again, into her silken raven masses as she played her tongue against my nipple and her hand kneading at its twin. My breathing came in quick pants, the muscles in my lower belly clenching.

When Natsuki trekked down the valley of my breasts to my stomach, fingers caressing my sides, I gave in to the haze that had been threatening to overtake me since she started her sweet torture. She circled my belly button, and found a pleasure point at a patch of skin just above it. A low soft cry tumbled from me as that talented mouth began to nip and suck on that spot. Waves of heat settled into me reminding me of the ache that settled at my center.

"Na…Natsuki…" I whispered; it was all I could say, and she gave one last nibble before releasing me. Puffs of air cooled my heated skin as she made her way back up, occasionally brushing her lips against me. She found my lips and I gladly reciprocated, fingers stroking at her back, teasing a soft growling moan from her throat through our kisses.

Suddenly, one of her hands snaked down to my throbbing core and a finger stroked at the bundle of nerves there. I bucked my hips and gave a low cry that was soon cut off by her eager mouth. She added a second finger, beginning a rhythm that my hips followed. I threw my head back into the pillow to accommodate for my erratic pants, and low sounds fell from my mouth.

Natsuki's fingers slowed and I let her know my frustration by raking my fingers down her back. She made a sound between a moan and a laugh as she shuddered. I realized that I had closed my eyes at some point and I opened them to glare up at her. She grinned in apology before she slipped inside me. Her fingers stroked my walls, and I cried out when she found my most sensitive of spots. The sound cut through the soft night and I clapped a hand over my mouth.

We froze, heat radiating off our bodies, waiting for the guard to burst in on us. She reminded me where her hand was by slowly moving it, thrusting her fingers into me. My ability to think fled as primal need nearly overwhelmed me.

Waves of pleasure racked my body as we rocked in time with each other. I brought Natsuki down closer and closer, feeling her sweat slickened back, her sleek hair, and kissing any skin I could find. The heat was almost unbearable and I knew that I was going to either orgasm or faint right there.

Natsuki, so in tune with my body, sensed that I was at the brink and quickened her pace. Once, twice, and the third strong thrust pushed me over. I shoved my face into her shoulder as a loud strangled cry erupted from my body. Her free arm held me against her as I arched my back, and then slowly sank back into the sheets. We didn't speak as I came down from my high; we didn't need to.

Natsuki's weight fell on me and I could feel puffs of air on my neck. A soft sweet kiss was pressed against my skin there as I felt her fingers leave my depths. I sighed into her neck.

"Ookini, my fierce Natsuki." I murmured.

She shook her head and leaned up to look at me, her eyes a forlorn green. "I just hope that I am enough. I love you so much."

I pulled my hands from her back and gently placed them on her face. I could see my new ring sparkle against her skin, and I gave her a warm, wide smile. "Natsuki, I do not think that I could have a better lover or a friend. You are more than enough, and I love you so." I placed a soft peck on her nose before pulling her into hug. She was shaking and I could feel wet tears on my neck.

"Natsuki?"

"I'm fine. Give me a sec." She said, her voice muffled by my neck.

I petted her hair, suddenly exhausted. "Well, my Natsuki has drained me of all my energy. Shall we head to bed?" I said in a tired happy tone.

She chuckled and rolled off me, wiping at her eyes and stood up. I watched her, as I shuffled under the covers, and realized that she still had her pants on. I felt slightly miffed; Natsuki had distracted me so much I hadn't noticed.

She quickly pulled them off and hopped back in the bed, lying on her back. I put my head under her chin and pulled the covers over us. Sleep was fast approaching, and I snuggled into her further, wrapping around her waist. Her hand landed on my hip, and her breathing became slow and even.

"Sweet dreams, my dear Natsuki." I said as I closed my eyes.

"They'll be of you, my goddess." Came the whispered reply from above me.

It was too late to be surprised, and warm darkness overcame me.

* * *

**AN: Longest chapter ever! That I have written at least… **

**So my first attempt at a love scene- how'd it go? **

**Y'all get super awesome cookies if you can guess who the writer I quoted from is.**

**Aine is a Celtic goddess but like many in that Pantheon much that is known of her is lost to time and history. If I missed anything or got it wrong, then it is a fault in my research. **

**Your reviews are what keep this writer going. As always, thank you all for your support. **


	14. New Beginning

_AN: Hey everyone! So…uh… long, long time no see. I am so very sorry for not updating earlier, but circumstances prevented me from doing that (term papers and tests ruled my life for most of November and first week of December). Hopefully this chapter is worth the wait. _

_As always, all the prettiness is due to my awesome beta - Athena Sampaio. Any mistakes/inconsistencies are mine. Now on to the story._

* * *

_New Beginning_

Walking out of the shower with nothing but a towel on, I called out, "Zuru? Ya know I am gonna have to..." My voice died away as I took in the scene before me, suddenly embarrassed and terrified.

Sitting at the small table was Shizuru, daintily sipping at her tea. And Mrs. Fujino. Both women were watching me with twinkling eyes. Clearly they thought something was funny. Mortified, I stood in the center of the room, pulling my towel tighter around my body. Like that would do me any good.

"M-morning Ma'am." I nodded in their direction, grateful that my voice wasn't wavering too much. This was freaking me out. Like, is she going to spit fire?

Mrs. Fujino beamed. "A good morning to you, Natsuki-kun. I took the liberty of bringing some new clothes." Her expression shifted into a sly teasing. "I had gone to your room earlier to apologize for my husband. But imagine my surprise when no one answered. So, I did some detective work that led me here." She looked so proud that she'd found me.

I hoped that she wasn't going to eat me alive since she'd probably figured out that her daughter and I were now intimate. She didn't really sound approving of our relationship when we last spoke in that hospital room in Kyoto. That sly grin was a good sign though.

"Mother asked me to loan her your room key so she could get you an extra set of clothes when I told her that you didn't bring any over." Shizuru added with a warm smile and a nod in the direction of the bed. I gave a stiff nod, spun on my heel and headed toward the clothes.

"I'll be right back." I got dressed in record time. Taking a deep breath I opened the door to find that Mrs. Fujino was standing up and admiring Shizuru's ring. My girlfriend was giving the ring a real smile as she murmured something to her mother. The older Fujino glanced up at her daughter with a grin and chuckled.

Coughing slightly, I sidled up to my crimson eyed princess. Deciding that I didn't really care what Mrs. Fujino thought, I wrapped an arm around Shizuru's waist and placed a kiss to her temple.

"Thanks for the clothes, ma'am." I said as Shizuru pressed into me with an arm coming about my waist. Her fingers slid across my belly. Instantly, I relaxed into her touch. The sun ring was still being inspected by Mrs. Fujino.

"You designed this, Natsuki-kun?"

"Yes Ma'am. But the jeweler did most of the work. I just gave her my drawing and told her the colors that I wanted."

Shizuru said, "Natsuki is a talented artist, mother. She is especially adept with a pencil and pad." I raised an eyebrow at Shizuru's proud tone but shook my head. "I just do it as a hobby - to relax. I'm not that great."

Shizuru's mother gazed into my eyes with a genuine warm smile. "Those eyes, dear, are too honest." She responded cryptically as she handed back the ring. She watched as Shizuru slid it on her ring finger and once again molded to my side. "Shizuru, would you mind if I borrowed your Natsuki for lunch today?"

Oh, great. I am going to get the parental ninth degree. I tried to panic but Shizuru pressed her palm to my stomach. I pretty much just turned to a puddle of happy goo, the tension again draining out of me.

"Of course, Mother. I need to freshen up. May I meet you at," She glanced at the bedside clock, "Two o'clock?"

Crap. That gave mama Fujino almost three hours with me. I tried to plea with Shizuru with my eyes but she was resolutely focusing on her mother as she gathered her things from beside her chair. Damn.

Apparently I had no say in this so I just stood there, clinging to Shizuru like a puppy. Mrs. Fujino gave me an odd glance before focusing on her daughter, giving her a nod. "I shall make sure your guards are given an impromptu break - really they need it. The poor fellows have been sleeping in chairs all night. I shall see you in the café in about fifteen minutes Natsuki-kun?"

Shizuru giggled into my shoulder as we listened to her mother scold the men like, well, a mother. By the time the noises stopped, Shizuru was kissing her way up my neck. I shifted so she could have better access. The woman was super talented with those lips and tongue.

"Don't worry, Natsuki. Mother likes you very much." She purred between kisses. "It's a little hard for her to imagine us together."

Responding wasn't an option as she slid around to my front and pulled me into her for a short searing kiss. Her lips tasted like tea, as always, and I just couldn't get enough. With that thought in mind, I tightened my grip around her waist and ran my tongue against her lips. The vixen pulled out of the kiss with a low musical chuckle.

"Nastuki. You have to go now. Mother is waiting." She said with a teasing nip on my lower lip that I stuck out in a pout. "And no pouting." I schooled my face into a neutral expression when she wiggled to loosen my grip and patted at my rolled up collared shirt, messing with the collar and straightening the sleeves. "You'll be fine. Now go on - I have a surprise for you after lunch."

Those Crimsons were so warm and proud, I had to give in. Not that I could refuse her anyways. I gave her a quick kiss and a smile. "Love you Zuru, I'm looking forward to your surprise."

* * *

Mrs. Fujino studied me over yet another cup of tea. I idly asked myself what it was with Fujinos and their tea while giving her an uncertain smile. She was probably making nice for her daughter.

The café was humming with life. Many of the costumers were happily talking about last night's snowfall that made the hotel's landscape into a winter wonderland. I had to force my brain to stop taking in the conversations around me, a habit that I haven't been able to shake.

Her eyes never left mine as she raised her cup of tea to her lips to take a sip. As she set it down, she spoke, "I like you, Natsuki-kun, but that was reckless."

"What? Sleeping with your daughter? Or sneaking into her room in the first place?" I asked a little annoyed. Papa Fujino's demand that I stay away from his daughter was damn mean. Sneaking around the hotel and breaking into Shizuru's room was fun but I would have preferred to walk in through her front door.

Mrs. Fujino, Noriko, huffed and rolled her eyes. "I honestly don't care what my daughter does and with whom she does it with. Within reason. And I think it was a little hypocritical of you to tell us that Shizuru is in danger, then go to her in the dead of night to… to…" she waved a hand, flushing a light pink, then forged on. "Her stalker is staying in the hotel. It was too risky."

I sighed and slumped in my chair, glaring at the half eaten remains of my sandwich. Should I tell her that Shizuru rarely sleeps because of Tomoe? Her daughter was as fragile as she was strong. I shook my head. No, Shizuru wouldn't want me to reveal that to her mom. "Look, all I wanted was to give Shizuru her birthday present. And hang out with her. She was looking forward to the party because all her friends were going to be there, even though that bitch was there."

"Language, Natsuki-kun." I mumbled an apology. She carried on in a heavy tone. "Just so you know, Shizuru's father is very much aware that Shizuru has a stalker."

I bolted up in my seat, fixing Noriko with my glare. "No offense, Mrs. Fujino, but your husband is a jerk. He gets elected because his daughter is so popular. She is stalked like a lot of celebrities, but unlike most celebrates, she is attacked. What does he do? He friggin blames _Shizuru_ for it!" I was seething. Shizuru was the damned victim in all this and her own father refused to see it.

Noriko rode out my tirade with practiced patience. Her chin rose up proudly, reminding me of Shizuru. "My husband loves Shizuru, he would never have allowed her to go on those shows if he realized how popular she was going to be."

"Then, you both really don't know your daughter."

Eyes flashing, Noriko's voice was hard and soft. "You over-step your bounds, Kuga-san. I love my daughter, as does my husband. What gives you the right?"

"If you didn't think that Shizuru was going to be popular, then you have got her all wrong." I gave her a gentle smile. "Shizuru is a beautiful young woman, but that is not all of her appeal, wouldn't you agree, Mrs. Fujino?"

Noriko's indignant anger softened, her eyes distant as she thought on the question. She lowered her head a little. I was startled when I saw her shoulders shaking. Was she crying? I rose out of my seat but slowly sat down when her delicate hand waved me back.

"You are correct, Kuga-san. My Shizuru is so kind and thoughtful. That mask of hers does little to hide it. She is so gentle, even when she teases, and so warm." She looked up with shining eyes. She took a sip of tea and gave me a shaky smile.

"That is why I love her so much." Noriko's eyes brightened and I smiled, embarrassed. "Look, I know you want to make sure that Shizuru isn't hurt. I know that she has been hurt, badly, before, but I will never knowingly hurt her. I am pretty much wired not to do something like that."

"Indeed?"

"Yup. I have an odd protective instinct that goes far beyond what others feel." I launched into my story, knowing that Noriko needed to at least understand me. Turns out that she is a great listener. The two were more alike than they believed.

"Thank you Kuga-san-."

"Natsuki is fine, Mrs. Fujino. I know you're not mad anymore." I gave her a grin.

Noriko rolled her eyes. "Alright, Natsuki-kun. Even so, I hope that you practice some restraint when you show my daughter affection in public. As either Natsuki or Misaki. It isn't proper."

_Seriously? _I let loose a short bark of laughter. "Your daughter is very difficult to ignore. I am constantly trying to get her to chill out with the PDA." Noriko bristled. I shrugged it away. "That's just Shizuru. She loves to mess with people like that."

She let the matter drop. Then she nailed me with the question that I have been asking myself. "Natsuki-kun. Do you think that your team can protect Shizuru long enough to build a proper case against Tomoe?" There was hope in her voice that was heartbreaking.

"No."

That short word floored her. Big sparkling eyes stared at me, disbelieving. "How can you say that? You've done such a wonderful job. I saw what you did on TV last week and in Kyoto. You're amazing. Surely, you cannot think so."

Reaching out, I gently pried her hands off her tea cup. If she squeezed any tighter, the poor thing might just shatter. "Tomoe isn't the only person we have to watch out for. We have little evidence to prove stalking behavior, and I am sure your husband would like it if Shizuru did not ask for a restraining order against Tomoe." I gave her hands a squeeze. "I doubt any judge would sign that either since most of the stalking was done by random people.

That being said, as a professional and your daughter's girlfriend, I will be damned if I let her be harmed. And I probably will be."

"Thank you for being honest. This must be so hard for you." Noriko's fingers tightened around mine.

"It is worth it. Shizuru is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I can only hope that I am worthy of her." I said softly.

Noriko gave me a genuine smile while patting my hands before releasing them. "I am sure you'll do fine. Is there anything that I can do to help?"

"Hmm." I leaned back in my chair, thinking hard. Noriko has already buffered Mr. Fujino and I suspected that she was the one responsible for the extra security around Shizuru this week. Something came to mind. "Mrs. Fujino, are there any political or business rivals that you can think of?"

"Natsuki, we are Fujinos. We have too many to count." Noriko shook her head.

I nodded, the Fujinos are pretty much royalty. Because of that they have both friends and potential enemies in high places. "Well, and please do not repeat this to anyone else, the people that we captured after the most recent attack were most likely hired by the Marguerites as security consultants. Because of our lack of evidence with Tomoe, subpoenaing the company's files will be a long process. The men we captured that day were let off with aggravated assault and attempted kidnapping; their company bailed them out."

I took a breath. "Would you be able to produce a list of close business rivals? You know the ones who are also politically active?"

I saw understanding flash behind her eyes. "Ah, yes. I can do that. But allow me a couple of days. It will be quite thorough."

The buzz around our table dropped into a murmur causing me to glance over Mrs. Fujino's head, my eyes immediately locking on to Shizuru who had on a very informal form fitting hoodie and a pair of jeans. "Can't believe she makes that look awesome." I muttered.

Mrs. Fujino cocked her head to the side in question. I nodded at my girlfriend, raising my hand so she could see us. Mrs. Fujino twisted in her seat and watched her daughter's progress for a couple seconds before spinning back around, her mouth set in a thin line of annoyance. "People are so vulgar."

A smirk formed when I realized what she was saying. At least two or three guys were eyeing Shizuru from head to toe with sneers on their faces. My smirk turned into a silent snarl when one of them tried to cop a feel as Shizuru breezed by him. She simply slid to the center of the aisle, smiling her fake smile towards our table.

"Good afternoon, Natsuki. Mother." Shizuru slipped into the seat next to mine, her arm brushing against mine. The two Fujinos made welcoming noises while I continued to stare down the asshole who tried to touch her. He watched Shizuru with hungry eyes. Freaking horny bastard.

"Really, Natsuki. Please stop trying to skewer the young man with your eyes." Shizuru chided with some amusement. "Your anger on my behalf is most appreciated."

"He just tried to feel you up!" I huffed indignantly, tearing my eyes off the man to search Shizuru's expression.

She smiled and pulled me into a quick hug. When she pulled away her crimson eyes were dancing as she gently brushed my hair away from my face, her fingers trailing along my cheekbones and down my arm to grasp at my hand. Seeing that she wasn't upset about the whole thing brought my temper down. If Shizuru wasn't angry, then I wasn't going to be.

A cough from across the table broke the spell. Noriko was grinning like a Cheshire cat as she said, "_Ladies_."

Shizuru giggled but returned to her seat, scooting a little further away from me.

"I am sorry, I can't help myself. Natsuki is too cute."

To my eternal embarrassment, Noriko agreed. "Yes, that pout that you are wearing is terribly cute, Natsuki-kun."

Oh great, my badass persona is going down in a burning mess. Wishing that I could curl up in a corner and die, I crossed my arms in a huff. "Seriously, Zuru?"

Of course my expression did not cause the desired effect. Instead, the two Fujinos broke into twin peels of silvery laughter. Giving Shizuru a halfhearted glare I waited them out in a sullen silence. Hello? FBI trainee / specialist here! I don't do cute.

Except in private.

My girlfriend wiped a tear out of her eye with a contented sigh. "Mother, may I have my Natsuki back now?" She gave my hand an apologetic squeeze. "There is precious little time before we must head back to Fuuka…"

Mrs. Fujino nodded in understanding. "Yes. Thank you for spending time with me today, Natsuki." She shifted her attention to Shizuru's ring, which glittered against the table. Her gaze moved back up to us. "I will leave you two alone. Please be careful."

We both gave her silent nods. Shizuru reached over to give her mother a brief hug before the older woman released the younger to drift out the door.

Heaving a sigh of relief I slouched in my seat. Those last three hours were murder on my back. Shizuru casually leaned into me, watching the crowd mill about the dining room. I was content with just watching Shizuru out of the corner of my eye.

Those wine reds turned to me and darkened. "Do you wish to know your surprise?"

Gulping down a soft whimper at the warm dulcet tones I said. "If it means you keep talking to me like that then hell yeah."

I turned to face her fully and was glad that I had chosen a table in the corner of the restaurant. I could focus on Shizuru without compromising my view of the other guests. Unfortunately, company was coming and Shizuru didn't realize it.

"Zuru, hold that thought. We've got boy problems." I smiled.

She sighed, building up her mask again. That smile that I was beginning to hate graced her regal features. It was the one she used to hide her emotions. Two of the young men that were eyeballing Shizuru, including the asshole who had tried to feel her up, strode up arrogantly.

"Hello ladies." The taller and less slimy of the men started. "My name's Ken and this," he nodded at groper-man, "is Ichigo. We were wondering if you would join us over at the bar. It'll be fun."

Shizuru, who was eyeing the two young men through her lashes, leaned forward with her elbows on the table. Her posture screamed sultry seduction. I was content to watch her tease these two morons into submission, because she was, well, _hot_ when she got like this. As long as she didn't touch them that is.

"Ara! I am sure that you would make for excellent…companions... as good looking as you are." She dipped into a dangerous purr, her heavy accent making every word drip with heat. Low and intimate, that voice was making the young men fluster. I scoffed even as Shizuru rose from her seat to saunter over to the young man who had attempted to grab her.

My devilish grin dropped off when Shizuru pressed into Ichigo and whispered something into his ear. The idiot's mouth dropped while he burned a bright red. "Zuru. Cut it out, you know I hate it when you get touchy feely with people."

The other guy, Ken, looked between us in confusion when I stood up to pull Shizuru into my body, hugging her from behind. Not caring what anyone thought I rested my chin on her shoulder, ecstatic when Shizuru's body melted into me. "Guys, I think we're gonna have to leave now. My girlfriend and I are heading back home. Thank you for ruining a wonderful conversation and grabbing at her ass." I leveled a glare at the two of them. "Quit groping girls, cause you aren't gonna get laid that way."

With that I released my hold on my lover, noticing that she had lost her mien of sexual domination to grab my things from my seat. Shizuru laced her arm through mine as I paid for our food, whispering, "I am sorry, my Natsuki. I was so angry and I did not know what came over me."

I swallowed a lump that formed in my throat as we made our way to the hotel lobby and our luggage. She'd used the sexual domination before - a lot – to hide her anger but this was one of the few times that she'd gone that far with someone. "I'm not angry, Zuru. Just tone it down, cause I don't like to watch you go that far." I pulled her into an alcove, which was semi-hidden from view. With a hand at her cheek, forcing her to lock eyes with me, I said, "You've got me to beat up the bastards, right?"

Those big crimsons glittered, as she gave a low huff of laughter. "Natsuki, you do realize that while they had checked me out earlier, they came over to the table because of you?"

"Yeah right, Zuru." I started, but faltered at her expression. "Really?"

Shizuru closed her eyes with a sigh of annoyance, "Yes, my Natsuki. You are very beautiful and mysterious. They'd seen me up close already so they wanted to see the dark beauty I sat next to. I did not like the look in their eyes…"

Low laughter escaped me as I tightened my hold on her waist. "We gotta work on the jealousy thing, huh? If we don't then we'd never be able to go anywhere together." A pang of sadness rolled through me when I remembered that we couldn't have a normal relationship now.

Shizuru leaned into me "That's what my surprise was. I want to go somewhere with you. Just you - no bodyguards, no phones, and especially no Misaki. I want us to be together without any interruptions or sneaking around."

Emotions warred within me, and Shizuru watched my eyes, searching for my answer. Damn it to hell. I wanted to know Shizuru even more; be normal for once, even if just for a little while. But some part of me knew that this could be a mistake. What if the paparazzi found us? Or worse, Tomoe? My fingers stroked at the tendrils of her silky soft hair that were failing into her face. She wasn't afraid, but determined. My brave princess was throwing caution into the wind so she could be with me; it was overwhelming and exhilarating. How can I say no to her?

Shizuru broke into a brilliant smile when she saw my agreement. She leaned up to give me a tender kiss. "I have already made plans. Do not worry. I have made sure that we will not be bothered by anyone. Reito-san said he was going to give the entire team a week and a half off anyways since you are all in legal limbo still."

I shook my head then crushed my lips to hers. We broke apart with heavy breaths. "Zuru? Has anyone told you how awesome you are?"

She giggled. "I have you, silly." She tilted her head to the side. "By the way, thank you for telling those young men that I am your girlfriend. It was quite brave of you to say so. And I find that it is so wonderful to care for a girlfriend."

A bemused smile formed on my lips. "Who couldn't love you?" I faltered a little at the tightening of her smile and a twitch of her eyes to the wall behind me. Not liking it, I drew her into a slow kiss before leading her into the lobby of the hotel. Time to head back to real life. For now.

* * *

I rolled off Shizuru, slick with sweat after our sixth, no seventh, round of sex, happily exhausted. Shizuru planted lazy kisses along my shoulder, while playing her fingers along my torso. Wrapping an arm around her to pull her as close as I could to me, I ran my fingers up and down her back, thinking about our day.

Earlier, Shizuru and I walked into the ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn, in Nikko. The temple town was going to be the first stop on our vacation together. We got to the inn rather late, since we took the express train and it got stuck in a small snow storm. When Shizuru called in and explained that we'd be late the staff was nice enough to let us have dinner in our room.

The inn gives out traditional yukatas and Shizuru had taken great fun dressing me in one of those before…

I groaned as Shizuru, now fully recovered from our last round, kissed her way over to my breasts. Her talented mouth pulled at my nipple while she kneaded my other breast. "Zuru… we… we gotta rest for the tour to - Jesus woman!" I growled in English when she left my nipple to bite down hard on the top of my breast and suckle the bruised skin. That friggin hurt even if those lips and tongue felt wonderful now. I'd unconsciously buried my free hand in her hair, while my arm caught her in a vice-grip against my body.

"Natsuki wasn't paying attention to me, so I had to take drastic measures." Shizuru pouted as she brought her hands up to lay her chin on my chest. She did not look at all apologetic and, if those deep burgundies were any indication, she was more than ready to carry on with our previous activities.

"Yeah, okay. Just so you know I am not going to the spring again after the tour." I husked out, still speaking English, something I did while having sex, which Shizuru claimed was adorable.

Shizuru wiggled up my body then braced herself on her forearms. "I am just so happy to have you for myself, even if it's only for a little while. I am sorry if I was selfish."

Ignoring her magnificent breasts that were right in front of my face, I said. "Me too, Zuru. But can you believe that we are going to be doing something as a couple tomorrow for the first time? We're gonna hang out as two equals, not as a bodyguard and client."

"I have never thought of you as below me." Shizuru protested, but a mischievous smile crept to her face. "Now? Most definitely." She giggled at my grumpy frown, giving me a peck on the lips. Her expression softened into admiration as she brushed her fingers through my mussed up hair. "But I understand. This is going to be like a dream, I think. And I am already afraid to wake up from it."

"Let's think of this as a preview." I heaved a huge yawn while Shizuru snuggled into me, pulling up the comforter on our futon in the process. Giving her a kiss to her temple, I mumbled, "I wanna spend a long time getting to know you, Zuru, there's no need to rush."

Shizuru turned her face to nuzzle me, uttering a soft sighing "Ookini."

* * *

A beam of sunlight burned through our room, bright and insistent. Grumbling, I untangled myself from my honey brunette. Since rubbing the sleep out of my eyes wasn't waking me up, I stretched out the kinks in my back, checking the time on my cell phone while I was at it. The traitorous piece of mobile technology told me that it was already eleven in the morning, and we only had an hour before we had to check out of the ryokan.

I sighed; yesterday was exhausting. We'd gotten up to do the tour of the temples, which consisted on a trek through huge temple grounds and a monstrous hike up a murderous amount of stairs to the top of the last temple to see the tomb of one of the great shoguns of the 1600's. Then we were able to see the awesome waterfalls and the monkeys that bathed in the natural hot springs. The architecture was amazing, and I had to take pictures of some of my favorite pieces. I was like a little child jumping from one building to the next, pointing out the amazing details of them. Shizuru just smiled her happy smile, allowing herself to be caught up in my enthusiasm. By the end of the tour, we'd purchased a number of small gifts for our friends, and were content to soak in the springs at the ryokan.

"Zuru. C'mon, princess. We are gonna be late for wherever we were going next." I hoped it would be a nice hotel. Having sex on a futon was nice, but since it is little more than a cushion to be placed on the floor, it kind of hurt. Granted, last night we were only able to go one round before the need for sleep overwhelmed us, but I'd still slept awkwardly. That, along with the vigorous hike from yesterday, was punishing me today.

My sleeping beauty moaned as she sat up, cracking her back as she did so. "I like futons, but I think beds are better." She said absently as she stood up buck naked and glided to our luggage to pull out her clothes for the day.

"So where are we headed to next?" I asked, while watching her move through the room.

"We are headed to Sapporo for four days. I'd like to head back to Kyoto for the New Year. It's a tradition in my family to go to one of the shrines there and I want to take you to it." She said. "If you wish, I left enough time for us to get back on New Year's Day to say hello to your mother."

My jaw dropped. Shizuru had planned this out like we were a married couple, taking us to places that are dear to the both of us. Touched by my girlfriend's gesture, I hopped to my feet and grasped her from behind.

"Thank you so much, Zuru. I love you."

She turned in my arms, half naked, and murmured, "Anything for you, love" before wiggling out of my grip to get her clothes on.

I looked after her in question before shaking my head. Our relationship had started backward – sure we were attracted to each other physically, but it was some weird deep emotional connecting that drew us closer. I didn't question it at all. In fact, I was too afraid to think beyond that odd connection.

Shizuru's birthday night changed everything, and it wasn't just that I had made love to her, I think. Maybe it was the ring? But Shizuru stopped teasing as often, the playful vixen giving way to a seductress who knew her way about a bedroom. On top of that, her mask, which was almost always on while she was out in public, slipped into a comfortable content smile that reached her eyes.

I'd like to think I had something to do with the soft glowing look about her.

We'd slipped into a comfortable silence during the first leg of our eight hour bullet train ride up to the small northern city of Sapporo. Each of us were lost in our own thoughts; mine were spinning between our rounds of sex and Shizuru's sudden case of seriousness. I was replaying last night's session when I stiffened, remembering how she used her hands and her body to great effect. Like, that was the best orgasm ever and I was completely wiped out after that.

I looked down at my girlfriend, breathing deep calm breaths as she lay against my shoulder. She looked so peaceful; the worry lines that were normally so prominent on her forehead were almost completely gone. My fingers played through her soft wavy hair as I turned to watch the aisle. I could do this forever.

_She's only with me because of our relationship. I am her knight, and nothing more. _That traitorous thought washed through me, causing a frown to form on my lips. I knew that she had to have had other lovers before, considering her natural charisma. The question is whether I am ready to be in this relationship. Can I deal with pretty much sharing Shizuru with her fans?

The question is, ultimately if we pull through this, will our relationship be the same? That more than anything scared me. Can I be good enough to keep her with me? A wave of uncertainty filled me. Then another wave, this time jealousy, struck through me. How many people was she with before me? Did she love them and will she run back to them if we can catch Tomoe?

Like hell! I shook my head at the thought. Shizuru loved me now. A low chuckle rumbled out of me as I realized that I had done essentially the same thing in September. Damn woman has me all twisted up in knots and she didn't even know she was doing it.

The shinkansen stopped at its last stop before then end of the line. New passengers boarded and a small family of two slipped into the chairs behind us. The mom barely noticed us, but her little boy stopped and stared. He ran big innocent eyes over me, before landing on my sleeping beauty. They widened and his mouth opened, but slowly I shook my head, murmuring, "Sleeping Beauty has to sleep, right?"

He nodded vigorously. I gave him a wink before he jostled his way past his mother while saying, "Momma, we gotta be quiet. The pretty lady needs to sleep." His mother made a light noise of agreement as she got him settled in.

Another chuckle swept through me. This last one caused Shizuru to wake up.

"Natsuki, is everything okay?" She asked as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. She straightened in her seat while stretching out her back. Mussed up honey brown hair was shaken out into something resembling order.

"Nope, everything's good. But you did pick up an admirer." I said with a laugh.

The little guy in question popped up between us and said, "Hi, pretty lady. My name's Ryounosuke! Momma and I are going to our folk's home in Sapporo for New Year's!"

"Ri-chan! Stop bothering the nice ladies!" His mother scolded with some embarrassment.

Shizuru grinned at the little boy as his expression fell.

I twisted in my seat. "He is no trouble ma'am. My name is Natsuki Kuga. But you can call me Natsuki, I hate formalities. It's nice to meet you both." I said with a smile.

The woman blushed while glancing away. "My name is Kourin Natsushiro."

Shizuru jabbed me in the ribs and said, "My name is Shizuru Fujino. You may call me Shizuru, Natsuhiro-san, and little Ryounosuke-kun."

Mrs. Natsushiro's eyes grew large as she whipped her face towards Shizuru. I was pretty much forgotten, with my sore ribs and all that. "Fujino Shizuru. As in _that_..."

"Yes, the heiress and stalker magnet." I piped in, rubbing my side. "She also has a killer jab and drinks way too much tea."

Shizuru rolled her eyes while Ryounosuke giggled and his mom gaped at us.

"Momma, can I sit in their seat? I'll be really good!" The little guy asked, while giving his mom a I'm – cute – and – you - know - it look.

She attempted to be strong by saying, "Ri-chan. You can't invite yourself over just because you think people are interesting. It's rude."

"But Mommmaaa! They aren't just cool – they're super pretty, too."

I rolled my eyes, even as Shizuru's smile widened. Charming little bugger. "Don't worry, ma'am. Shizuru and I will look after him for you. You look exhausted. He seems like a handful." I gave her another smile, which earned me another blush and jab in the ribs.

I glared at Shizuru who mouthed a "Stop" at me. My expression fell into a question as her eyes darted between the young mom and me.

"What?" I asked incredulously in English as I twisted in my seat.

She gave me a look. "Stop embarrassing the woman Natsuki, you're too forward."

I quirked a brow at her. _Okay?_

Shizuru sighed, switching back to Japanese, "Ryounosuke-kun will be fine with us, Natsushiro-san. I certainly don't mind the extra company."

The kid let out a whoop and scrambled into our seats, promptly sitting right in my lap. "Oi. Kiddo, you serious?"

He looked up at me. "It's the best way to talk to Shizuru-chan. And you looked the most comfortable."

Raising an eyebrow at him, I smiled. Looking up at Shizuru, I noticed a weird gleam in her eye but shrugged it off. We were going to have a talk later. I ruffled the kid's hair, which he took as permission to squirm further into me.

"Are you really Sleeping Beauty?" Was the first of many questions that popped out of Ryo's mouth.

"Well, she can be a bit of a nightmare. Princesses can be so snobby." I didn't forget the jabs Shizuru gave me.

Shizuru sniffed. "And knights can be as thick as the armor they wear." As if to prove her point, she slapped my shoulder. When I didn't flinch she smiled sweetly. "See?"

Ryo nodded vigorously. Traitor.

I snorted. "Right. Passive aggressive much?"

"Better than the Fists of Fury."

Momentarily put off by the pop culture reference, I grumbled, "Kay, next time I'll just let the next crazy ass fan molest you."

Shizuru huffed. "I'll do the same for you when you accidently flirt with another girl and they jump you."

Ryo stared between us, his head swiveling like he was watching a tennis match. "Are you guys fighting? Cause momma said it's not good to fight with your friends."

I ruffled his hair. "No, kiddo. We're just joking around." He looked skeptical but nodded.

"Natsuki just needs to learn when to turn off her charm." Shizuru huffed, her arms crossing over her chest.

"Huh?" I was charming? I thought I was too forward. This was so confusing.

Shizuru rolled her eyes and gave me a look that said "Really?" But she offered. "Takarazuka Revenue."

I stared at her, trying to figure out where the reference was from. Where…?

Ryo piped up from his perch in my lap. "Isn't that the thing where all the actors are girls and they even do the boy parts? Mom likes it." He crinkled his nose. "The plays are so bad, I don't get them."

"Oh!" I remembered. Heat ran into my cheeks when I realized what I did. "Yup, I am a true blue idiot."

Shizuru nodded with a small smile on her lips.

"Does that mean Shizuru-chan won?" Chirped the little menace.

I raised an eyebrow at him, ignoring Shizuru's tinkling laughter. "Kid, pray that you find someone like Shizuru to lose against."

He gave me a solemn nod then asked if we could go to the vending machine, and his mom, who was quite through our little verbal spat, said we could. Ryo leapt out of my lap with a whoop and eagerly bounced his way out of the car.

"See ya in a bit." I murmured to Shizuru, who gave me a small grin watching me clamor out of my seat.

Ryo was a cute kid, if a little too inquisitive, but he finally fell asleep. Shizuru let me move into her seat, which was beside the window, so that I could use it as a better pillow for Ryo. Mrs. Natsushiro was out like a light as well, and Shizuru draped her long jacket over her before shuffling back into my previously occupied seat.

"You are really good with kids, Natsuki. It's no wonder he chose to sit in your lap the whole time." She nodded at the unconscious boy in my lap.

I squirmed in my seat; that soft smile was not hiding anything. "Do you want kids, Zuru?"

Her eyes snapped to my face before returning to Ryo. "Yes. I've always wanted to be a mother, but I don't want to be too hasty. And I have wanted to find the right person for me. To start a family with."

"Zuru…" I sighed, I shouldn't have asked. "You'd be an awesome mother. I just…"

She stopped the words with a finger on my lips. "Do not worry, my Natsuki. It is a long ways yet, do not underestimate yourself." She murmured, "Now sleep. You have had precious little of it."

My eyelids drooped, even as I fought to keep them open. "You sure?"

Instead of answering, she began humming a wordless tune. My body sagged against the window, holding onto our charge for dear life.

_What do you know? Shizuru can sing._ I thought wryly as I slipped into sleep.

* * *

Sapporo was turning out to be an awesome idea. Most of the tourists were more than happy to just check out some of the spots before heading up to the ski resorts further north, so it was mostly just us and the locals. We checked out the Sapporo Brewing company, sampled some beers then went to a restaurant that served local food.

"Ramen is awesome up here." I said through slurping up my food.

Shizuru nodded, "Normally, I don't like it because it is too salty for my tastes, but this Ramen is delicious."

"So, what are we gonna do next, Miss Tour Guide?" I said with a grin.

Shizuru leaned forward, no doubt purposefully exposing some generous amounts of skin from beneath her swoop neck sweater. "I was thinking of going dancing. I hear that…"

I am a bad girlfriend, I know, but I couldn't help it. All that cleavage… I licked my lips while imagining what I was going to do to her tonight.

"Natsuki."

I snapped my eyes up to light burgundies. "Yeah?"

"As much as I like that you are staring at my assets, do try to multitask, yes?" Shizuru smirked.

"Kay. I will. But just so you know I was multitasking." I quirked a brow and shot her my most careless grin while giving her my smoldering stare. Let's see if she got the hint.

She gasped and reddened. Hint taken. "Ikezu Natsuki." Her lyrical voice came out in a breathy husk.

I cocked my head to the side, "So?"

She shook her head. "I heard there was a pretty decent club in the entertainment district. Would you mind going?"

I shrugged, it wasn't my thing but I could tell that Shizuru wanted to go so whatever. "I am glad that I packed some of my leather stuff. C'mon I bet you have an awesome outfit in your big ass suitcase somewhere." I stood up and went to pay for the food. I had laid down that I would pay for our meals and some other things early on in the trip. Shizuru put up the money for our awesome lodgings so I had to do something.

I fidgeted with my hat while I waited in the lobby of the hotel, trying to ignore the people burning holes through me. Okay, so I looked hot, but that doesn't give everyone the right to stare at me. Shizuru wanted her outfit to be a surprise, but she got me to buy a leather fedora that had burgundy accents to go with my all black outfit for today. Tight leather pants, a leather corseted top and my leather jacket wrapped around my body like a second skin. Round that off with a pair of Fuck you boots, and I thought I looked pretty damn badass.

A buzz from my jacket pocket pulled me out of my musings. "What?" I said without bothering with pleasantries. Only one person would call me at eleven in the evening.

"_Mutt, can't you be nicer to your favorite redhead?"_ Nao slurred through the phone.

I shook my head. "Why the hell are you calling?"

"_Why. I'm just looking out for my pup. Had to make sure you finally got laid." _Nao cackled through the phone. _"You really needed to loosen up I mean gawd…"_

"Nao!" I growled.

"_So I take it that you didn't. I mean really, the fox is willing to give you a hand with that you know." _

"Get bent."

"_No sweetie, that's your mission. You should really get on that you know? Cause the fox ain't gonna wait forever." _

Oh. My. God. Can she be even more infuriating? "If you're gonna be an ass, I'm gonna…" I caught a flash of red out of the corner of my eye. Ignoring my friend's increasingly foul mouth, I looked for the source, knowing it had to be my girlfriend. When I found her, my mouth dropped. Shizuru definitely put her own spin on the term, "little black dress."

"Nao, I gotta go." I clicked off the phone and stuffed it in my pocket.

Hurrying over to Shizuru, who was wearing a skin tight burgundy dress that was so short it should be illegal to wear, and strappy heals that were sure to emphasize her beautiful legs, I let out a couple of fortifying breaths. Shizuru had to be the most beautiful woman in all of Japan.

I held out an arm for her. "Jesus, Zuru! You look amazing."

"Why thank you, Natsuki. You look wonderful as well." She grabbed my hat out of my hand to perch it on my head. "Now you look positively dashing." She giggled as I huffed.

Sweeping my hat I gave her a comical bow and a goofy "Shall we be off milady?" which earned me a swat on the shoulder. Somehow I thought that tonight was going to be ridiculously fun.

"_This blows." _I thought with a grimace as Shizuru and I were sitting at the club's bar, nursing our drinks. Shizuru was instantly recognized by at least twenty people almost as soon as we stepped into the club, which regulated us into instant bodyguard and client mode.

Shizuru edged closer to me as yet another over eager fan spotted her. "I am sorry, Natsuki. I did not think that people would care." Our arms brushed against each other, and I fought the urge to wrap my arm around her waist.

The fan, like the thirteenth girl, that approached her had big wide eyes. I wasn't counting the number of people who bothered Shizuru tonight. Nope, not at all.

"Excuse me? Are you Fujino Shizuru? From TV?" The woman asked, looking nervous and awed at the same time.

Shizuru turned so I couldn't see her face but she still managed to sound warm and friendly through the cacophony around us. "Why yes, can I help you?"

The lady scooted closer, eyeing Shizuru through her lashes. "Wow! This is awesome! You know, I've always wondered if you looked the same on TV as you do in person." She offered Shizuru a smirk that was supposed to be seductive, but I didn't think so. "Now I know that you are stunning in person. Really, the TV doesn't do you justice."

I straightened in my seat, attempting not to growl a warning at her. I've been good, but this woman was definitely putting the moves on Shizuru.

"Ara, why thank you. That top is very flattering. I love the color." Shizuru said in a very friendly tone, but not going into the smolder that she usually falls back on when talking to people that annoy her. Granted, her friendly voice was enough to make people go gaga over her.

"Thank you, may I order you a drink?"

Wow. Bitch is bold. "She's already got a drink." I blurted out, while staring the girl down. She squirmed in her place. I gave her my evil smirk.

Shizuru whipped her head around, eyes blazing crimson. She mouthed a "Be nice!" at me. I raised an eyebrow at her. She pointedly ignored me by turning back to the interloper, as I like to call her.

"Ookini for the offer." Shizuru had turned on the smolder a little. Damn it. She was doing this on purpose. I took a fortifying swig of my drink.

The woman's eyes darkened. "Mmm, you know I have always had a thing for Kyoto-accents. And red eyes." She put her hand on top of Shizuru's and began to make little flirty movements with her fingers.

I nearly gagged at the lame pick up line and stared at their hands. Seriously?

Shizuru giggled pulling her hand out from under the flirtatious woman. _Smooth Zuru. _"Kannin na, I must decline your offer." She made a movement with her hand, making her ring flash in the dim lighting. So she was going for subtle.

Apparently Interloper didn't take the hint. Instead, she grabbed Shizuru's hand and pretended to admire the ring. Instead she used the opportunity to run her eyes up Shizuru's arm, locking on her exposed cleavage.

Okay, that's it. Yes it's a nice rack, but only I get to look at it like that. "Shizuru, I need to head to the ladies' room." I said in English, while finishing off the rest of my drink. Setting the on the bar with a sharp clack, I slid out of my chair. Grabbing my jacket, I gave the girl a glare.

Shizuru gracefully detached her hand from the woman and said, "I really must be going. It was a pleasure to meet you."

The woman hurriedly wrote her name and phone number on a napkin and held it up for Shizuru to take. "If you wanna have some fun, you give me a call."

Shizuru took the napkin with a nod. She flashed a look at me and I took that as her wanting to get back to the hotel.

So I did the bodyguard thing by placing a hand at her back, but not steering her. As a happy coincidence, that placed me between the woman and Shizuru's sexy ass.

As soon as we got back to the hotel, I flopped on the spare bed while Shizuru began to undress.

"Zuru, you didn't have to do that in the club. I wouldn't have gone on a bloody rampage just cause a girl flirted with you."

Shizuru turned away from me. "Yes, but I am a big girl and don't need to be rescued all the time." She sounded a little irritated. She gestured at her back and turned her head towards me. "Unzip me?"

Standing up I moved forward and began to unzip the little red dress. Seriously, why do we begin serious conversations like this? That golden skin just begged to be touched, but we needed to talk. I swallowed down the lump that was forming in my throat. "I know you are awesome and don't need me to rescue you, but you are too damn polite. Couldn't you have told her to buzz off or something?"

Shizuru sighed, "I was only being polite to her. I just couldn't pitch her to the curb once she started flirting."

_No, but you didn't have to flirt back. _I wanted to say, but instead said, "Yeah I know, it's just so hard to have another person flirt with you when I can't even do it myself."

"I am sorry, Natsuki." She sounded a little sad, her shoulders slumping slightly.

I finished my task but didn't want leave, so I wrapped my arms around her waist and put my chin on her shoulder. "You're not teasing me," Shizuru started and twisted in my arms, "I mean, like, you got so serious…" I trailed off hating that I could be so inarticulate. My face burned.

"Natsuki?"

I mumbled something incoherent, but really wanted to say, _dDid I do something wrong?_ The damn words just weren't coming out of my mouth, so I just shook my head.

Shizuru's eyes closed as she chuckled. She cupped my face between her hands. "Natsuki, I stopped teasing you because, well…" She broke off and looked down before turning her eyes back to me. "Are you in love with me because we are in the situation we are in?"

This was all backwards, I didn't know how Shizuru was able to turn this conversation on its head and basically ask me the same question that I'd wanted to ask her – again - but there it was. I was glad that she seemed to feel better but I felt a little nagging in my chest that needed to get out. ..

I blinked. "No. Zuru. I would have loved you no matter what." I rested my forehead against hers. "Why would you ask that?"

She sighed, and her eyes began to water. "You are so terribly kind to me. I don't believe I deserve it. You are so sweet, you put up with all my teasing even though it makes you jealous or embarrassed and when you make love to me..." She closed her eyes with a smile. Opening them again, she carried on. "It feels so special. You are almost too good to be true, Natsuki."

Wow. Just wow. Here was the girl of my dreams, standing in my arms with a slinky dress slowly sliding down her body, asking me if she is worthy of me. I felt dizzy all the sudden. "I-I need to sit down." Shizuru looked devastated, so I gave her the sweetest kiss I could muster. "I love you, Zuru. And I wanna spend the rest of my life with you if I can, because you are amazing, beautiful, kind and smart." I paused. "I don't think that whatever we have is false."

Tears began to leak out of her eyes and I reached up to brush them off her cheeks. "Can we get changed, cause even though that dress looks awesome, I'd rather continue this while we are more comfortable."

She gave me a watery laugh. "Ara, Natsuki must want to get me in bed."

I stuttered a little at her coy tone, but had to laugh. "Zuru, you're gonna give me whiplash one day. And yes I would love to get you in bed."

"Then let me get changed into something…more suitable." She murmured as she turned from my embrace. She then just let the dress puddle on the floor, and walked to her luggage in the sexiest set of undies I had ever seen.

Quickly, so that my mind didn't slip into sexual overdrive, I changed into my pajamas. Hopping into my side of the bed, I waited for her. Of course, she changed into her silky nighty and slid into bed with me.

Once she was snuggled up against me she sighed. "This is my favorite part. You are so very comfortable."

I smiled., "Kay this is my second favorite thing about our relationship. My favorite thing is the sex." Shizuru gave a throaty chuckle, snuggling even closer to me. "Because I seriously see stars, and I love that you trust me so much. It is such a great feeling that you trust me like this."

"Ara, Natsuki is naughty." She gave me a teasing bite on my shoulder. "She is the only one that I have allowed on top."

"I kinda figured you had previous experience…" The thought made me kind of sick really, but I'll just have to deal with it. She'll let me know when she wants. Shizuru rolled on top of me. "Yes." Those dark eyes held so much love. "But you are the first to ever make love to me. And that makes me so happy."

I smiled up at her. "Well, you're my second, but you are so special I'm counting you as my first anyways." That smile she gave me made her so beautiful so I had to add, "I would love for you to be my only from here on out."

I was hoping she'd demand to know who that one person was or if they meant anything to me.

Instead, she gasped and burst into tears, burying her head into the crook of my neck while she sobbed. Running my fingers up and down her back, I remembered that this was like the third or fourth time I told her I wanted to be with her for the long run. I blushed right up to the top of my head.

That niggling thought swooped back into the front of my mind. Shizuru wasn't too upset about learning that I had been with someone, so was she not really thinking that our relationship would last? Burying it deep inside, I concentrated on Shizuru's musical voice.

"…Are you prepared for what happens when we are not a secret anymore? The social and political…"

"We'll burn that bridge when we get there. It's gonna be tough, I know, but I don't care what anyone else thinks." About me. Shizuru, on the other hand has everything to lose if her coming out is greeted with closed minds. But that I figured was another thing for later.

She nuzzled into my neck, even though I had interrupted her. Heat flooded through me as I felt her lips slowly work on my sensitive skin. "Zuru, why do you always have to suck on my neck?"

"Natsuki's neck is lovely…strong…and so sleek." She murmured. "Just like the rest of her." But she moved up to my lips to give me a heated kiss. "I cannot help but want a taste."

Our breaths mingled as our lips brushed against each other. "Zuru, we are supposed to be talking - and how the hell did you get your hand down my pants?"

Sweet mother of Jesus, Shizuru's fingers were magic. The sensations she was giving me were pure fire.

I felt her wicked grin against my mouth while those burgundies sparkled with mischief. "Ara, I think it is time for some more doing, no?"

"Doing - yeah - I am up for it, princess." I husked.

* * *

Kyoto's shrines were teaming with people as they went to give their first of the year prayers. I barely remembered doing this as a kid, probably because I was always barely awake. The mass of people pressed against Shizuru and me as we wandered from stall to stall, looking for food. We had already done our prayers and bought our fortunes.

It was admittedly adorable when Shizuru opened hers to find "Big Luck" written on the tiny slip of paper. She punched my arm while gleefully saying that she'd never gotten that fortune before. Mine was "Small Luck" so I was happy.

Shizuru grabbed my arm and pointed at a stall that was selling good luck charms. "Come, I want to get you a good luck charm."

I grinned at her antics. "Which one do you wanna get me?"

"Hmm…" She placed a finger to her nose in contemplation, which was so freaking cute. I had to restrain myself from hugging her. "Here we go." She grabbed a purple charm from the lot and held it up for the vendor.

After paying for it, she grabbed my arm so she could drag me along with her. Laughing, because Shizuru was man handling me through the crowd, I said. "Oi! Crazy lady, slow down!"

She ignored me until we broke through the crowd then stopped so abruptly that I ended up stumbling into her back. Catching myself, I gave her a hug from behind. "Darlin', you're gonna give this gal a heart attack."

Shizuru laughed at my accent. "Mmm, Natsuki is warm. I think I should drag her to more places."

She turned around so we looked more like friends than lovers. Feeling the color rise to my cheeks, I looked into her amused expression. "Yeah, yeah. Natsuki is so cute when she is mortified at the realization she's giving Zuru special PDA."

Shizuru's silvery laughter chimed through the cold air. She pulled out of the hug but still grasped my forearm. "I really hope you never change." She managed through her giggles.

Grinning like a fool, I whined. "What did ya get me? C'mon I wanna know what luck you're gonna give me."

Suddenly solemn, Shizuru looked at the small package in her hand then back at me. "I wanted to get you something so you can have it on you for protection. It's superstitious, I know, but it would make me feel better if you had this with you." She held up the package for me.

Taking it from her, I opened the package to reveal the purple charm from earlier. Inspecting the writing, I realized that it was a protection charm. I looked up at Shizuru, who was watching me with a mixture of hope and trepidation.

"Thanks, Zuru. That's really sweet of you." I made a point of strapping it to my book bag. "I'm gonna put this on my holster but I don't think now's a good time for it." Since I'm not wearing it.

Stepping in for a hug, Shizuru murmured, "Please do. Tomoe isn't going to take lightly the fact that we look like such close friends. I brought you on this trip and not Misaki, so it could send up warning signals if any paparazzi pictures of us are released."

Because this trip was going so well, she was probably assuming that Tomoe was going to turn up at any point. I freaking hate stalkers because they pretty much psychologically rape their victims into thinking that they could turn up anywhere, no matter how safe the location is. I squeezed her as tight as I could, rubbing her back. "Please, please do not be afraid of Tomoe like that. I will be fine, you'll see."

"Natsuki, she's not going to hurt me on purpose. Even if I am an object to her, I am an object that she covets. You, however, are in her way. As Misaki or as yourself. Just please be more careful than you already are."

I squeezed my eyes shut at the pleading in her voice but pulled away to look her in the eye. "I'll be careful." Rubbing her upper arms, I added in the cockiest tone I could muster, "Sides, she made a mistake sending her toy soldiers after us on TV. You're gonna have yourself a private police force soon. We're finally gonna move against her, instead of having to wait for her to mess up."

Shizuru chuckled while grabbing my arm. A slight tug told me that she wanted to head out again. "Yes. I am hoping that you will be able to gather enough evidence to pin everything on her." Her head landed comfortably on my shoulder. "I don't want to become another statistic, Natsuki."

I was startled by the vehemence in her voice but not by her determination. I sighed. Tomoe had gone from the first stages of stalking, which is unwanted behavior, to full on harassment stalking, in no time flat. Sure she'd been watching Shizuru for a long time, if our theory was correct, but acting on her stalking was opening a can of worms. In the States, about ten percent of stalking victims are stalked for five or more years.

Tomoe was in this for the long haul. Most stalkers would be turned off by the badassary of my team. Tomoe, well she probably thought we were a goddamn challenge.

The hairs on the back of my neck rose. Someone was watching us. Quickly, I scanned the crowd, noting anyone who looked suspicious. Shizuru picked up on my body language and slowly removed her arm from mine. Her hand still rested on my forearm. Taking a peek at her, I had to stifle a grin. Shizuru was doing her own version of alert and attentive.

Giving her a little tug, I pulled her off balance. Stumbling through the ankle deep snow, she was still able to gracefully keep her feet. Under the guise of steadying her, I slung an arm around her waist and pulled us so we were facing the opposite direction.

"Hey, you okay?" I asked as she straightened.

Shizuru gave an indignant huff. "Yes I am not your rag doll…"

I gave her an apologetic look but was silently pleading with her to be quite. Casting my gaze around, I found exactly what I didn't want to.

"Shit," I hissed when I locked eyes with Tomoe. She noticed how Shizuru was pressed up against me in an intimate embrace, which was totally not intended, and her face twisted into a stormy rage.

I released Shizuru, whispering, "Zuru, we gotta go. Tomoe's here and she looks like she wants to kill me dead."

Shizuru's eyes widened in fright but nodded as she let me steer her through the crowd. "Why here? How could she find me through all these people?"

I didn't answer her. It was too hard to talk after listening to the sad desperation in her voice. She'd been doing so well; we hadn't heard or seen from Tomoe in so long I thought she was content in staying behind her wall of security personnel. Now Shizuru was shaking in fear, and she hadn't even seen Tomoe yet.

"Onee-sama!" Tomoe's oily voice cried out, just to our left, causing Shizuru to stop so suddenly that I ran into her.

Of course we were walking so fast that I nearly tumbled over Shizuru and instinctually wrapped my arms around her in an attempt to keep us both upright.

"Hey! Keep your filthy hands off my Onee-sama!"

I found her standing only a few feet away watching us with hatred. Well, watching me with hatred. When her gaze fell on Shizuru her eyes softened into a form of loving possession. About as much as a Narcissistic bitch could, which was more like watching a snake gaze at a mouse before striking it dead.

I pushed Shizuru behind me and grabbed at my gun, which should have been in its shoulder holster, but only came away with a handful of my sweatshirt. _Fuck me_.

Shizuru spoke up from over my shoulder in a surprisingly steady tone. "Tomoe, why are you here?" She had a hand at my back, grabbing at my jacket in a death grip.

Looking hurt, which was ridiculous, Tomoe said. "Shizuru onee-sama makes sure to come to this shrine every year, right? I thought I'd surprise you." She met my gaze and snapped, "What the hell are you doing here?"

I shifted into a defensive stance. "Doing my job, asshole. Fuck off." Right, not the smartest thing to say, but it was Tomoe.

"Natsuki!" Shizuru breathed.

"Ah, so the biker has more bark. But does she bite like the mangy dog?" Tomoe sauntered into my personal space. As an intimidation move it sucked because I knew she did it to get closer to Shizuru.

"You don't wanna know if I bite, bitch. Cause when I do, it fucking hurts." I bit out through my clenched teeth. She was way too close to Shizuru so I took a small step back, forcing Shizuru away from Tomoe in the process.

"What a dirty mouth. Tell me do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" She asked. Then her expression turned sly. "Oh wait, she's dead. Guess she can't even be disappointed with your terrible manners. Or that you pursue someone who is out of your station." She indicated Shizuru with a smug lift of her chin in her direction.

I snarled at her, my eyes watering.

"Yes, Natsuki Kuga. I know that you love her, but she doesn't love you back. But it is no matter, she charms all those around her. My onee-sama cannot help it, she is that wonderful." She said while giving Shizuru a hard, possessive stare. Using the crowd as cover, she stepped behind me to give Shizuru's face a caress with the back of her finger. Shizuru jumped as though she'd been slapped, tears streaming down her face. Shoving Tomoe slightly, I stepped between the two again. Once again, Shizuru's hand anchored to my back.

"Step away, asshole." I snapped off.

Tomoe wasn't fazed by me much at all. She flicked a dismissive glance at me and said. "Such beautiful skin you have, onee-sama. I know the rest of you must be just as … ravishing." Tomoe's voice dropped into a low seductive hiss, making my skin crawl. Hungry grey eyes ran the length of Shizuru's body, causing Shizuru to shiver.

Tomoe licked her lips. "Mmm. Remember the time in my third year in middle school? You were just finishing your dance club and had gone into the locker room to change. I was surprised that you had such a full figure. All the boys were crazy for you."

All the blood rushed out of Shizuru's face and she gagged.

That was the last straw. Why did everyone think they could touch my Shizuru? I punched her in the face, flowing into her to sweep her legs out from under her. She landed with a grunt and I straddled her, landing punch after punch. All the rage, fear and frustration poured into my fists as I beat in Tomoe's face. This sick woman wasn't going to mess with Shizuru again. I was vaguely aware of Shizuru trying to pull me off and her warm voice telling me to stop.

"Do not think I won't kill you, Tomoe Margurite, if you touch her again. You don't deserve the right to look at her." I grunted.

Whistles of the beat cops rang through the crowded street. Shizuru was able to pull me off, and in a twist of irony, put herself between me and her attacker, her hands at the side of my face.

"Natsuki, please calm down. You need to stay calm." I locked on to her eyes, which were pools of fear and sadness.

"Shit. Shizuru, I am so sorry." I said as I cooled down. A stray tear traced its way down her cheek. I resisted the urge to brush it off, because the police were coming and Tomoe was watching us with rapt interest.

"What is going on here, ladies?" A gruff looking officer asked.

Tomoe immediately went into frightened little girl mode. "Please, officer! The dark haired one, she just attacked me." She cried out, and then burst into tears.

The officer immediately was on edge as he helped her to her feet; he never turned his gaze from me. Shizuru had turned to face the guard, eyeing them both warily.

"Sir, please. This is just a misunderstanding. My name is Fujino Shizuru, and Kuga-san here," She put a hand on my shoulder, "Thought that this girl was a threat because she touched me in an inappropriate way."

Tomoe's face was comical in that moment. She could barely open her eyes but managed to look utterly betrayed.

The officer called for a paramedic then turned to Tomoe and asked, "Is this true?"

"No, officer. I didn't know that I was talking to Fujino-sama. That girl just attacked me. I swear it." Her response was meek, and she turned her gaze to the ground.

The officer sighed. "Alright. Look, Kuga-san, I'm gonna have to book you for assault, since this girl's face has been beaten in and you've got blood all over your hands."

Shizuru made a sound of protest, but quieted, looking at the officer with big eyes. Tomoe was gloating. I could tell the bitch was smiling a bloody smile.

"Fine. But, can you escort Fujino-san back home in an unmarked car?" I asked, as he tugged my hands behind my back.

The paramedics arrived and began to work on Tomoe, asking her if she was able to walk. She, the twisted bitch, played up that she couldn't see straight and told them that she was dizzy.

"She's really Fujino-sama?" He asked, watching Shizuru who looked like an angel in the snow, her eyes sad and distant.

"Yup. She needs to get out of here and home as discreetly as possible."

The officer turned to one of his buddies who just now showed up. "Hey, Kubota-kun. The oujou-sama needs an escort outta here. Can you do that? And use your own car once you get back to the station."

Shizuru looked at me. I nodded. Her red gaze turned on Tomoe, who preened then stared down officer Kubota. "Nice to meet you."

They walked by, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

"C'mon, miss. I have paperwork. And she may press charges, you may want a lawyer." He tugged me toward the direction he came.

As it turns out, I did need a lawyer, but no matter how good the lawyer was, I couldn't escape the damage I'd done to Tomoe. Or the fifteen or so witnesses that swore up and down that I'd just attacked her out of the blue.

So, I was stuck in a Kyoto jail for the next month. My high priced lawyer was able to get me a lesser sentence, which included the jail time and a house arrest bracelet for another year. The judge could have put me in prison for six months to a year for the assault.

Pacing the cell, I waited for the mail cart to come round. Shizuru promised that she'd send me a letter once a week on top of her twice a week visits. Today was only the second day into my sentence, but I didn't do well in small spaces.

"Kuga." The mail lady slid an envelope through the slot in my door.

Tearing into it with shaking fingers, I saw a picture. I pulled it completely free of the envelope and froze. It was of me and Shizuru in the little café in the Kiyohime. My suddenly wobbly legs carried me over to the hard prison bed, and I sat down hard.

Flipping the picture over, I read the little note, my eyes flying over the words. Fear rose into my throat. It slid out of my limp hand, fluttering its way to the floor. My vision blurred as I curled up on my cold bed, wishing I had Shizuru's warmth next to me.

* * *

**AN: Yet another long one, huh? I hope that it lives up to everyone's expectations. And for those of you who want Tomoe's stalking to be done with - well let's just say it's going to get worse before it gets better. As always, reviews are wonderful. Thank you all for your support, it means so much. **

**Oh and I swear you won't have to wait another two months for another chapter - if that happens my beta promised to withdraw cookies! **


	15. Knightmare

_Hey all! Thank you for reading the last chapter! I know there have been a lot of questions about the ending and I did a ton of research to try to make it a little clearer. Yes, that means I went and found English translations of the Japanese Penal code. Lets just say it was as eye opening as it was sleep inducing. I will let the characters do some of the explainin, but as far as I could understand Japanese views on assault are rather simple. When one person injures another, it is considered assualt. I found nothing in regards to intent (other than intent to murder). And as far as I could find, there is no such thing as battery or assault with a deadly weapon in the penal code. So, Natsuki would have would have probably been fined for the fight in the hotel waaay back when because she was considered the victim, and because her recent attack on Tomoe in the last chapter was so violent, and more importantly she didn't apologize to Tomoe, she was jailed. Potientially, she could have been put on hard labor duty, but for the sake of the story, I decided to keep her under house arrest. As I am not an expert, and there is some stuff that could have been lost in translation, I apologize in advance for any miss interpretations or miss representation of Japanese law mention in the chapter._

_In regards to the stalking, there was no legeslation to protect vitims until 2000 after the media uproar in regards to the death of Koiri Ino, a stalking victim who was forced to gather her own evidence to prove her boyfriend's dangerous behavior. When she went to the police, evidence in hand, looking for protection, she was ignored and rebuffed. She was found dead in her apartment a couple months later. It turned out the boyfriend was stalking Miss Ino, and after she rejected his attempts to get back together, he and his brother hired a thug to kill her. The boyfriend hung himself before he could be investigated. The current law is very basic, and gives victims and police little power, but it is a good step none the less. _

_Okay the lecture is done! This is where I say this chapter has been beta'd by the fabulous Athena Sampaio and any weird things or typos are all mine. Enjoy!_

* * *

_Knightmare_

"Mother, you don't have to do this," I said with some exhaustion leaking into my voice. Watching my mother bustling about my apartment, making herself at home, made my head hurt.

She stopped midway through plumping up the cushions of my couch and gave me a motherly glare. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat at the kitchen bar. "So says the young lady whose secret girlfriend is in prison because her stalker goaded her into attacking her."

"Mother…"

She put her hands on her hips and her glare softened into concern. "I know you do not wish for my being here, but you cannot be alone when Tomoe is resorting to more traditional stalking measures."

I stiffened. Since Natsuki's incarceration two weeks ago, Tomoe's stalking has increased tenfold. She has been showing up at all the locations I like to frequent. Letters and photos were beginning to find their way to the _HiMe Star_, but none have found my apartment…yet.

"Who told you?"

Mother put her chin up in defiance. "Your friends did. They all worry about you. But if you must know, Nao-han was the one to call me first. She and Kaito-kun thought you should have someone here for support. She's got quite a mouth on her but has a heart of gold, and I like her attitude."

"Nao-han is extremely hard to handle." I admitted. She's taken Natsuki's place as my closest guard and was none too happy about it. While she was extremely good at her job, she preferred not to be in the spotlight. Because Chie and Aoi were practically inseparable, it was up to Nao to keep up with my hectic schedule.

Mother slid down onto the couch and I walked over to sit next to her. Her hand came up to pat my thigh. "Yes, she is. But she's allowed people to help her and I can tell whatever loneliness she's been carrying around is slowly going away."

I could tell that she was talking about me as well, and despite our somewhat distant relationship, it was good to have her here. I slid closer and put my head on her small shoulder. "I miss her mama. I don't know why she snapped."

Mother let loose a little gasp at the old endearment. She guided my head to her lap and began to brush her fingers through my hair. "Natsuki-kun is a strong young woman. And she cares for you so deeply. But it must be difficult to constantly have your relationship under scrutiny from the public. Especially since they are so enamored with Misaki."

I frowned. Natsuki said pretty much the same thing in December but I didn't think she would have snapped because of that. "She has said much. She and I feel like we are hiding, like we should be ashamed of ourselves. But it's for her safety. If Tomoe found out, Natsuki could be killed."

"She's already come to great harm, little one. She is no safer around you as either a man or a woman." Mother countered.

"Are you saying we should not see each other when she gets out of prison?" I asked, afraid that mother would say yes.

Her hand stopped. I wished it would continue, the rhythm was soothing and I was becoming drowsy. "No, not at all. I like her too much. She is good for you. In fact she is much better than the lot of spoiled young men that have been asking for a marriage meeting even though they believe you may be involved with someone. Arrogant peacocks." She said, spitting the last two words out as though they were the vilest of curses.

I giggled despite myself. "Thank you. I am so happy that you've accepted us, mother. I love her so very much."

Mother gave a silent laugh, and I could feel her chest heaving. She then shifted, signaling that I get up so I did and she caught my chin in her hand. "I love you little one, because it makes you who you are. But you have to remember that Natsuki is far more fragile than she lets on. Please take care of her."

A teasing lilt entered her voice as she said, "I am still expecting grandchildren, Shizuru."

I laughed to cover my embarrassment. "Mother! You are incorrigible." I couldn't help but picture Natsuki and I living in a big house with gaggle of children running through it.

_If we live through this, that is._

* * *

The next day was bright and cold, but the strong sun made the snow glisten. Nao sat across from me with a cocky smile on her face as she watched me toil through thick files of old court cases in the Fuuka City library. "You're not gonna find that many criminal cases on stalking, Fox. You know the law to protect against stalking is as ridiculous as the name."

"Not helping, Nao-han." I mumbled irately.

"I know. Have you tried civil cases?"

I looked up, and tilted my head to the side. Nao was lounging in her chair with her feet on the chair next to her. She was reading an English copy of_ Emma_, by Jane Austen. "Yes. But they mostly involve the "tailing" that is the precursor to stalking in Japanese law. Only a couple of cases have escalated to full blown stalking."

Nao chuckled. "Yeah, Japanese law is so simple, yet complex at the same time. All the degrees of assault that Natsuki talked about with American law were odd. I can see why she's so frustrated, cause here, if you assault someone, you assault someone. Simple as that," she made a cutting motion with her hand.

"Yes. But I think she will be okay. The judge is already ready for a review hearing. If Natsuki can prove she will not harm again, she won't have that ridiculous bracelet for a full year. At the scene, she calmed down and even apologized for the trouble. Then she asked the deputy to provide me an escort home. That should help."

Nao's impish green eyes lit up with something as she dropped her feet to the floor. The book was placed gently on the table face down and open. "Shizuru, please come sit next to me." She said as she pulled out her phone to tap at it with furious speed.

I immediately slid from my place and sat on the chair that Nao was using as a footstool. I didn't question her because, unlike Natsuki, she worked better when she didn't need to explain herself. I looked around the library, searching for any suspicious people. It was quiet as libraries were wont to be, with patrons wandering in and out of the stacks and the low murmur of voices.

Suddenly a young man melted out of the stacks right next to where I was sitting. Nao went slightly rigid and I heard her shift in her chair.

"You looking at something, dude?" Nao drawled. I glanced at her to see her trademark lazy smirk lifting her mouth.

I looked back to see the young man stuff something into his back pocket. "N-No, miss."

"Right, now move along, both of us are taken and if I was single, I wouldn't wanna bang a guy who takes pictures of women like a creeper." She said dismissively, while flicking her hair back with a hand.

The man straightened with indignant anger. I sighed. Nao had a way with words. "Look, Mister…"

"Kobayashi."

"Kobayashi-san. I do not appreciate you sneaking up on us like that. Please delete any pictures you have taken of us." I wasn't sure if he knew who I was, and I wasn't going to enlighten him. For all I knew he saw two very attractive women and wanted to take pictures of us to sell for a couple bucks.

"Shizuru-chan—"

I cut him off, suppressing the surge of disgust at the use of my name like that. "I did not give you permission to address me in such a familiar way. Please leave. If you had simply approached me to ask for a picture, I would have gladly taken one. Now do the honorable thing and delete those pictures."

The man deflated and pulled out his phone to show us the pictures he had taken, and then deleted each one before shuffling away from our table.

Nao let out a low whistle. "That's freaking hot, you know. You sound like you were gonna kill him and he'd like it."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "Nao-han wishes for me to speak to her in that way, yes?" Before Natsuki and Nao pointed it out to me, I didn't notice the way my voice would deepen and my accent would become heavier. It was difficult for me to not slip into my native Kyoto-ben as it happened naturally.

"No way, Fox. I like cock. But I am comfortable enough to say I think you're a beautiful woman." Her smile widened. "Bitch."

I laughed. "Well, I'm heading over to see Natsuki. I booked an hour today."

Nao suddenly looked uncomfortable. I understood her resignation. Last time, Natsuki and I argued constantly. "If you don't want to come, Nao, it's understandable."

Nao shook her head and frowned up at me as we gathered our things. "As long as you guys don't fight like a bunch of old ladies over whose dog is cuter, then it's fine with me."

I didn't answer her. Natsuki refused to tell me why she allowed Tomoe to goad her into beating her up. For my part, I thought I was helping Natsuki with her temper. To see it explode out of her was a shock and a bit disappointing. The worst part was, Tomoe being the ultimate spark in that explosion made the situation more painful. Always, our problems end up back with Tomoe. She was an unwanted force, battering against me and Natsuki, slowly chipping away at us with a frightening determination. At times I have been willing to just give in, just so she would stop her torment.

A nudge at my side brought me from my thoughts. Nao jabbed me again with her arm. "Look, you guys will work through this. Whenever I'm around you two I choke on all the damn fluffiness. Just remember: when Natsuki wants to do something, she throws herself at it, no matter the cost."

I nodded solemnly. Figuring out what had pushed Natsuki so far was the problem.

"Hey delinquent." Nao said cheerfully as Natsuki approached our table and sat down.

Natsuki scowled at her then bit out, "Sit and rotate on it, pipsqueak."

I sighed. Nao and Natsuki's juvenile need to insult each other has become a sport. At times it was a nice diversion from the tension between Natsuki and me. With the exchange already verging on the vulgar, I stepped in, "Hello Natsuki, how are you today?"

"Afternoon, Zuru." She responded dully without looking at me. "How're your interviews going? Has anyone tried to paw at you yet?"

It was the same question she has asked me each meeting. Natsuki's tone was light, but I could see she was wire-tight in her seat. "No, Natsuki. No one has tried anything."

Nao nodded vigorously. "Yeah, she even shot down a guy at the library today. He's gonna be putting some Band-Aids on his ego after what she did to him." She snorted. "Course, she was a lady about it."

Natsuki finally looked at me, and I had to refrain from hugging her. She was becoming more haggard each meeting and it hurt to see. "Really?"

Her face, though wane, lit up with an inner fire. I took her hand and gave her a smile. "Yes, I realized that teasing people is not nearly as fun as teasing you. So I haven't bothered."

She gave my hand a squeeze. "Good." And I shivered at the possessive tone in her voice and the way those dull eyes suddenly sparked to life.

"Oh-Kay! Keep the eye-boinking to a minimum, people." Nao said sarcastically.

Natsuki broke contact, but her gaze roved hungrily over me even as she said, "No can do Nao. Don't get to see beauty like this every day."

Beaming at her compliment, I said, "Ara, whoever thought our Natsuki was such a smooth talker?"

Blinking and blushing, Natsuki muttered, "It's the tru-"

"Alright, people! I'm choking on rainbows and cotton candy over here." Natsuki and I turned to Nao. "Seriously, you people are supposed to be fighting for fuck's sake! You're not supposed to be slinging corny, overused clichés at each other."

I burst out laughing at Nao's indignant outburst. "Ara, Nao-chan is just jealous-" then something clicked into place as the rest of my sentence died. All the hints dropped by Natsuki over our vacation together, her constant questions about people hitting on me…

"Oh, Natsuki. Kannin na." I murmured, and then got up to move around the table so I could sit next to her.

Nao coughed and we looked at her again, "Well, ladies, it's been real. I've got a meeting with Chie and Aoi." She smiled smugly and moved to get up. "Don't worry your incarcerated ass, mutt. I'll have someone waiting for Shizuru when she leaves. And get some sleep! You look like you got run over a couple times by an obnoxiously large truck."

Watching her saunter out of the room, I had the vague feeling Nao had figured out what was bothering Natsuki long before I did, and it made me feel guiltier.

I took Natsuki's hand again, with her watching me with those great forest colored eyes. "Natsuki, you know I am with you because of who you are, and not because I believe you are some sort of white knight come to rescue me?" I asked softly in English.

Natsuki heaved a sigh and said. "Yeah, I get it Shizuru. But it's hard seeing you with all those people. The teasing, the flirting, and hell even when you hug people, you do that so freely with everyone as a witness, when I can't hold your hand because of how it could be construed by others."

I nodded. "Yes, and I stopped teasing you in private." I squeezed her hand. "I was trying to be more serious in the relationship because of everything that happened, but I ended up hurting you, yes?"

"Not hurting, but I felt like I was pushed into the background, you know? I just wanted you to turn to me and give me anything. A smile or a laugh - even a hug - just to show that you cared about me as your friend at least." She sucked in a breath. "Look, I know you worry about my safety but dammit I can't stand watching other girls make the moves on you and have to smile and nod about it!" Her voice was a growl of frustration, and her hand gripped mine almost painfully.

"I am so sorry. This is the first time I've had to worry about another's feelings because I am so invested in them; this is a bit of a learning process for me." I apologized again. Next time Natsuki needed me I would listen and not try to brush away her concerns. To prove my point, I took both her hands in mine and brushed my lips against her knuckles.

Natsuki blushed and mumbled. "Just so you know I'd still kick Tomoe's ass. I warned her in Kyoto not to touch you again. And when she did I snapped. I am not particularly proud of what I did, but even now I'd do it in a heartbeat." She leaned her head against mine. "No one makes my girlfriend scared without answering to me."

My heart swelled and I gave her a quick hug before snatching up her hand again. She began to play with my fingers, a sign she was nervous about something so I asked, "Natsuki, is there anything else that's been bothering you?"

She shook her head, "No, prison is not very fun, is all. I'll totally be glad to be out of here." She looked up and asked. "By the way, you have such an awesome ring. Is it a gift?"

I giggled. "Why thank you for noticing. Yes, my girlfriend gave it to me for my birthday, it was terribly romantic." I dropped my voice into a seductive purr. "Then she surprised me by making love to me."

"Oh?"

Her eyes darkened to a deep green and I marveled at how such a cool color could contain such heat. She was leaning in for a kiss, so I said. "Ara, Natsuki is a naughty girl…"

She was so close I could feel her lips brush against mine, and all my thoughts flew by the wayside. "Zuru, if you keep speaking to me like that, I am going to have to do something about it. That would blow our cover to kingdom come."

"So?" The word sounded more like a breathy husk that showed my excitement. She'd managed to turn the tables on me yet again.

Natsuki gave me a swift peck on the lips and pulled back. Her hands gripped at the bench so hard I could see her knuckles turning white. I had to admire her restraint. If it were up to me, we would have been having sex right there on the table.

"I don't want people to find out about us like this. If we show anymore affection in here, the cameras would blow up and we would end up becoming a sideshow attraction for the tabloids."

I raised my eyebrows, still trying to get my raging hormones under control. I was suddenly glad for Natuski's control, she was right: we needed to be more careful. But it's getting so very difficult. "Oh? And why would the prison's cameras blow up?"

Natsuki grinned. "Cause you're fucking hot when you turn on the sexy."

"I see your mouth hasn't improved."

"You love my mouth."

I couldn't very well disagree with her. "Yes, you do have a wonderful mouth, it's very bold. Especially when you…"

"Okay! Stop! Stop!" Natsuki laughed while fanning herself with her hand. Her southern accent thickened, "You could give a gal a terrible case of the vapors." She pretended to swoon to make sure I got the joke. Her antics, more than anything, made me laugh.

The light hearted banter was halted abruptly by a stern faced young man. "Times up, 44003."

We both stood up. "Why thank you for reminding me of my second class citizenship, asshole." Natsuki grumbled, and then spoke in Japanese. "Can't you give a girl one more minute with her dear friend, Yoshima-san?"

I bit back a laugh at her plaintive tone. She was beginning to emulate my accent and I could see the man's expression soften.

"Just to say goodbye, then you'll have to head back." He said turning his back on us to give us some semblance of privacy.

As soon as he did, Natsuki pulled me into a fierce hug, nuzzling her nose into the crook of my neck. I ran my hands up and down her spine, wishing that she could come home with me today, and not for another couple of weeks. We whispered our goodbyes, I didn't dare say anything else, but my bold, dear Natsuki laid a kiss to my cheek that lasted longer than was strictly proprietary before turned away.

I put a hand over the spot where Natsuki had kissed me, hoping I had alleviated most of her worries. She could wait until she got out to learn that Tomoe has begun stalking me in earnest yet again.

Two days after my visit with Natsuki, Tomoe decided to show up at the Fuuka Library. Nao, Chie, Aoi and I were all working on research into the legal aspects of stalking that I hadn't had the inclination to look into while I was at school. Because I had taken a leave of absence from Fuuka University so I wouldn't attract trouble at the school, I didn't have access to the substantial resources the law school had to offer.

I rose from my spot with a sigh. "Ara, I am going to see if I can find more articles on the Ino Shiori case." Ino Shiori was a 21 year old student who was stalked by her manipulative boyfriend before he hired a hit man to murder her. She had the wherewithal to gather the evidence herself, but when she went to the police for protection, they dismissed her. The media outrage as a result of the young woman's death pushed through the law that was currently not doing a good job of protecting victims like me. There were far too many loopholes in it to help.

The others nodded tiredly, and Aoi moved to get up from her chair. I waved her back. "It is alright, Aoi-chan. I will be back in a matter of moments."

"Are you sure? I can help." Aoi asked earnestly as she ignored my silent protest and wrapped her arm around mine.

Chie chuckled. "Aw, you two are just too cute together." She pulled out her phone and snapped a picture as we both gave her incredulous looks. "Tough crowd."

"Shall we head off then?" I asked Aoi.

Aoi nodded and tugged me toward the computers so we could look up resources. "Right. Nao you have my full permission to keep Chie in line by any means necessary."

Nao gave us a cheeky flip of her hair. "You got it, chief."

Having Aoi as a research partner turned out to be something of a revelation, she was able to search through various databases with amazing dexterity. She and I were chatting as we went through a particularly lonely set of stacks near the back of the library, searching for the items she listed for us, when I felt something brush my arm.

I jumped and looked behind me. No one was there. "Aoi, I felt something brush my arm."

Without asking questions, Aoi gently pushed me against the racks. The spines of journals bit into my back and a shiver of unwanted fear traveled down my spine.

"Shizuru-chan, can you stay here for me? I am just going to peak around the corner." Aoi's voice was smooth and calm. She gave my arm a quick squeeze before she nodded and slowly moved toward the nearest opening.

Waiting for Aoi to return was torturous, the few seconds of her absence felt like an eternity. When she bobbed back into view, I sighed in relief and pulled away from the shelving. I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw another person turn the corner. My voice failed me, and I pointed behind Aoi. She turned around just in time to see a large book descend on her head.

"Alone at last, Oee-sama." Tomoe purred as she dropped the book on Aoi's unconscious body. It landed with a soft thump and I had to hold back a gag at her uncaring treatment of Aoi.

I swallowed and backed up as she moved towards me. She was watching me with that same predatory look she had given me every time she has seen me. "You really do keep the most unsavory friends. Why do they all want to hurt me?"

The question was asked in a sickly sweet voice that made my skin crawl. I knew we were headed back into a section of the library that was little used, but I hoped some person would stumble on us. My mouth moved but the words that I wanted were stuck at the back of my throat, fear striking me temporarily mute.

From the front of the aisle, Aoi groaned and mumbled something that caused Tomoe to hiss. She darted forward to grab at me. My body quickly countered her motion with a quick slap at her hand and I was instantly grateful for Natsuki's constant karate lessons. The simple movements were now so ingrained in me that I had reacted unconsciously.

Tomoe looked puzzled and whispered, "Has the bitch told you about my little presents?" My face screwed up in confusion, and she grinned with glee when she saw this. "Of course she hasn't. Tell her this is from me for her actions during your visit."

With that statement, she lunged in and pressed a harsh demanding kiss to my lips, then broke off to rush hurriedly off. I stumbled over to Aoi and fell on my backside with my back against the shelving. Aoi began mumbling our location and I just curled up with my arms pulling my knees to my chest, wishing Tomoe would just stop her torment.

"Shizuru! Where'd she go?" Nao burst into our aisle, sprinting passed us when she saw me point in the direction Tomoe went.

Chie's solid presence slipped in, and she checked out Aoi before kneeling in front of me. "Zuru, can you stand, sweetie? We are in a venerable position and I need to help Aoi out." Chie was the only member of the team who used Natsuki's pet name for me, at first to tease Natsuki, but she rarely addressed me as anything else now.

I nodded, feeling slightly numb. Chie stood and held out her hand for me to take. She pulled me up and steadied me just as Nao turned the corner. From the look on her face, she was seething. But she held her temper and gently pulled my arm around her shoulders and placed a reassuring hand at the small of my back.

Chie gently picked Aoi up, murmuring as the small brunette put arms around her neck. The tenderness brought tears to my eyes. "Kannin na, Chie-han."

Chie looked back at me, her chocolate eyes gentle. "Don't be sorry for this, Zuru. You are the victim; it isn't your fault at all. Don't ever think that you're the cause."

"Yeah. We can take it, now what do you say we head back to your place? I've called Youko-sensei, she said she'd meet us there." Nao gave me a short squeeze, as we started out the side door.

"What about our things?" I asked, suddenly worried about my friends' personal information being out for people to see.

Nao chuckled, "Don't worry. We're always ready to move, so we don't bring much with us. Chie's got Aoi's stuff, and I have your bag."

The library was only one train station away from my apartment, a trip that usually lasted fifteen minutes, but we had taken Chie and Aoi's little non-descript sedan and Nao was driving. It took us nearly one agonizing hour in silence, which was only broken by Chie's gentle voice encouraging Aoi to stay awake and Aoi's grumbling about withholding sex if she didn't let her sleep. It was amazing to see the level of intimacy between the two of them. There was no doubt they were together, even for those who didn't know them, due to the little touches here and there. They had no problems with the odd little stares they receive when Aoi would press herself into Chie, or when Chie's arm wound itself around Aoi's waist. But what they were doing in the backseat was so tender and sweet, it made me smile.

Nao on the other hand was grumbling about all the "mushy crap happening in the back of the car."

As soon as I stepped through my door, Mother had pulled me into a back breaking hug.

"Tadaima, mama." I grunted automatically when she pulled back to let us further into the apartment.

Her hands patted at my cheeks, and she said, "Okairinasai. Chie-han, please take Aoi-han into the master bedroom. Youko-sensei has already set up her things there."

Chie mumbled a "thank you, ma'am," then hurried into the apartment.

Mother took one look at Nao, who was standing awkwardly in the hall and swept over to give her a hug as well.

"Oi! Shizuru can you call off your rabid mother?" Nao demanded as she patted my mother's back. I ignored her; my mother rarely listened do anyone.

"Oh, hush, Nao-han. You need a hug so you're getting one." Mother chided as she squeezed Nao harder.

I shuffled into the living room just as Chie came back from the master bedroom. "How is she?"

Nao and mother finally stopped their comedic struggle as everyone found their places.

Chie slumped into the loveseat and rubbed her face. "Well, she's got a nasty bump on her forehead, and maybe some damage to her neck because the book was so damn heavy. But she doesn't have a concussion as far as Youko can see."

We all heaved sighs of relief, and mother stood up with a smile. "Well, I am assuming you all are going to be staying a while, so would you like anything to drink?"

"Do you have booze?" Nao asked.

"No alcohol, Nao-han."

"Damn."

"Language, please." Mother sang out as she headed towards the refrigerator.

Nao huffed and slunk further into her chair, "Old bat."

"I heard that."

I grinned, "Mother do you need help?"

"No, darling. You all just relax." Mother said through her preparing tea.

I wanted to ask them what Tomoe had meant when she mentioned Natsuki, but how could I so soon after we had basically ran away from the library? I sighed.

Chie shifted in her chair. "Well, I think Aoi managed to record the incident on her phone. She's usually my backup when we go on a job, so if she feels like there's any danger, she records it and calls me. That's how we got to you so fast. She called right before she was jumped."

I cringed at the memory. I froze, helpless as I watched Tomoe hurt another of my friends. Yes, my analytical side was telling me that Tomoe was gaining the upper hand again because of her erratic stalking but it was so frustrating. I was getting better, and now her shadow was growing stronger once more.

"I hope you don't mind tea." Mother said, breaking up my dark thoughts. The others murmured their thanks, just as Youko-sensei stepped into the room.

My mother automatically handed her a tea cup and Youko nodded gratefully as she slid into the empty spot next to Chie on the loveseat. She took a sip and said, "Well Aoi is just sleeping now, but to err on the side of caution, I would like you to wake her up every hour." She smiled into her cup to hide it, and said. "You are all going to be the death of me."

Chie nodded with a grin, "You love us for it too, Doc. Who wouldn't want to see all that tempting female flesh?" She waggled her eyebrows suggestively, "Especially this body." She straightened in her seat and gestured at herself.

Youko blushed, punching Chie in the arm as the rest of us laughed. "Can it Romeo, or I might just sic Aoi on you when she wakes up."

Chie's smile faded and she patted Youko's knee in a friendly gesture. She then found me, her expression soft and warm, "Thanks for allowing us to hang out here, Zuru."

I shook my head. "You don't have to say anything, Chie-han. It is a given." I turned to Nao, who was quietly sipping at her tea. "Nao-han you know you can stay and rest, too."

Nao choked on her tea. "S-sure thing, Fox." She shot me a grateful look, which I thought was odd, but I let the matter drop.

Chie stood and ambled over to the couch to sit next to me. Her large hand settled on my shoulder, her mouth set in a small frown. Knowing exactly what she was going to ask, I patted her knee.

"Aoi-han and I were talking as we were looking for—"

"Whoa, there! We need to get you on tape, so we have more evidence. And feel free to mention Tomoe's name any time you get the chance to." Chie said amicably. Her hand fell from my shoulder as she pulled out her phone.

"Yeah, get as detailed as you can." Nao said as Chie flipped through the menu on her phone. "Tomoe's legal team wouldn't know what hit them." She gave a snort then went back to sipping her tea.

Chie muttered something about technology then said, "Kay, we're all set. Now you can begin whenever you're ready." She tapped the phone, and then set it down.

I relayed my story in a monotone, watching my audience flinch when I described Tomoe's careless treatment of Aoi. I could remember our conversation almost verbatim and when I mentioned Tomoe's gifts to Natsuki, Nao started. So, Nao knows. I filed that information away for later. Now, Chie and Nao needed to do their jobs, just as much as I needed to tell them what happened.

Suddenly, the shock wore off, and by the time I was finished tears ran down my cheeks in warm rivulets, and I shivered uncontrollably. Mother pulled me to her, but the warmth of her body barely registered as I curled up against her.

"You did great, Shizuru. We're all done." Chie murmured after she turned off her phone. Standing up, Chie bowed herself out with a quiet dignity that I would never have associated with her.

"Nao-han, would you mind getting the futons ready in the tatami room? We can all sleep there if it is agreeable to you?" Mother asked in Kyoto-ben. I relaxed a bit at the singsong quality of her voice.

Nao hurried off as I slowly relaxed into the warmth of my mother's arms, the adrenaline seeping out of me. Not for the first time, I wished Natsuki was with us.

* * *

Aoi's head injury was not a concussion, but she was having trouble focusing on her computer, so in the two weeks preceding Natsuki's release date, Chie took great pleasure in playing nurse to her recovering girlfriend. So Reito volunteered to accompany me to pick up Natsuki.

Because Reito was her boss, he was required to give Natsuki's case worker an itinerary in regards to her job. He left me in the lobby as he followed the tired looking man to his cubical. With nothing better to do, I found a relatively quiet corner to people watch. The police station was bustling with life and smelled like burnt coffee and unwashed bodies. Across the room, a young woman - probably a prostitute judging by the garish amount of makeup she was wearing - was slouched in a chair next to her arresting officer trading good natured banter with passing office workers, causing several to laugh at a particular joke. When she caught me staring, she smirked as she ran her eyes languidly down my body and back up to meet mine with what she considered a smoldering stare.

"Hi," she mouthed at me. I raised an eyebrow in response then shook my head. Her lips stuck out in an exaggerated pout, then raised a handcuffed hand and rub her fingers together in the universal sign of money and shook her head "no," which confirmed my suspicions. I held up my hand with my ring on it to drive my point home, and she rolled her eyes as if to say she's seen too many married folks to count plying for her particular services. Her game of flirtation was up, however, when she was tapped on the shoulder. She looked up at the man who touched her, stood up in a sensual stretch and marched behind him towards the holding sell. To my amusement the woman turned her head towards me so she could give me a little wink and carried on with an extra swivel to her hips.

_Ara, that is a first._ It was too bad Natsuki wasn't there to see because I would have made it abundantly clear I was not available. My amusement faded and was replaced with a longing and fear. _What was taking them so long?_

Showing my nerves was not something I did, but I couldn't seem to stop my fingers from fidgeting with the buttons of my blouse as I waited for Natsuki to be officially released. Because she was still under house arrest, she had to go to the police office to get fitted with a tracking bracelet.

A large hand grasped mine, pulling it from my button, and I turned my gaze to Reito's stormy grey eyes. "Don't worry; I have already submitted paperwork that would allow Kuga-kun to stay with you, instead of that drab old apartment." He said with a warm smile.

_Ara, I didn't realize exactly how handsome he is._ I smiled up at him. "I know, Reito-san. However, I have a feeling Natsuki is keeping something from me in regards to Tomoe."

His smile faded slightly and he tilted his head to the side. "Fujino-san, I know Natsuki has disclosed far more information in regards to the protection duties than what one would consider prudent. But this is a first for ARTEMIS, having to protect a person for so long. But it has come to my attention that your stalker has…branched out." He paused, letting me absorb the information. Unconsciously, my hand gripped his harder when I realized what he was implying.

"This is also a first for ARTEMIS. We have had threats against our team, but never had we had to protect one of our own against a stalker. I told the team not to reveal what Natsuki was going through because you both do not need the extra pressure." He sighed, fatigue setting into his handsome features. "However, Tomoe has forced our hand, and once Natsuki gets some rest, I will have a team meeting. Please do not ask Natsuki just yet. She just got out of prison."

I nodded, keeping my temper in check. "So are you saying I shouldn't worry for her? She is my girlfriend, after all. I am sorry but it is kind of my job to worry. I worry every day."

Reito's large body blocked the rest of the office from my view. "Yes, but you cannot claim her can you? Both you and Natsuki agreed to at least pretend to be in a platonic relationship in public; however what got Natsuki her punishment was her acting like an angry lover, _not_ a body guard. As of today, Natsuki will be relieved of duty as your bodyguard. ARTEMIS' reputation has been called into question, so I have to do this. But that does not mean she or you will be abandoned." His tone was firm but soft.

I was seething. "You cannot blame this on her. My stalker harassed me and she took measures to make her stop."

"Yeah, but I beat her face in, Zuru. I let her get into my head, and I am willing to take the heat for that." Natsuki's tired husk drifted over Reito's shoulder. When he turned to watch her, she had an eyebrow raised in challenge. "But I am not sorry I did what I did, boss."

Seeing Natsuki in her tight cargos and leather jacket made my heart leap. I stood rooted to the spot as Natsuki brushed by Reito, who shook his head in resignation, and put her arms around me.

"Hey Princess." She murmured.

"Oh Natsuki, I am so glad you are back." I said as I slid my arms around her back to pull her closer so I could mold myself to her.

"Uh-huh. God, I missed you so much."

I laughed and stroked her hair. Though it was dull and a little ill-used, it still was soft.

Reito cleared his throat. "Ladies, shall we head home? It has been a long month. And Mai will kill me if I miss her new concoction for dinner."

Natsuki chuckled then muttered, "He is so whipped," as we pulled apart.

I still held on to her arm as we walked through the doors. "Ara, it has only been a month, and Mai-chan is making him special dinners at her house?" I smiled, "Well, I am happy for them."

A barking laugh escaped Natsuki's lips. "Doesn't Mai feed everyone? It seems like she brought in enough food to feed an army when she had shifts at the Star. Besides this is the first time I've seen the boss act like a dopy teenager."

I elbowed her in the ribs. "Be nice. You and I can barely keep our hands off each other. I'd say dinner is rather normal."

I was too busy watching Reito valiantly try to maintain his dignity and was surprised when a light brush of knuckles on my cheek brought my attention back to my raven haired lover. I glance up into Natsuki's warm green eyes.

"I, for one, can't believe I am so lucky that you would be with me. Have to make sure you're real, you know?"

I beamed at her and squeezed her hand, feeling a blush rise to my face. "Ara, my Natsuki's silver tongue is still intact, I see."

Natsuki's rumbling laughter was followed by, "I dunno, I have been out of practice. Wanna see if it still can function?" She asked, heat dripping off her voice as it deepened into that sultry husk.

I could feel her eyes piercing me, and I forced myself to stare straight ahead. My body thrummed with heat at the duel assault. I swallowed. "Behave." The admonishment was weak, but what could I do?

The ride to my building was frustrating and long, for all of us. I almost felt bad for Reito, who was determined not to say anything about the ridiculous amount of sexual tension that flowed between Natsuki and me. The three of us were thankful when he pulled up to the front door. With hurried goodbyes and we made our way into the building.

Natsuki paced back and forth in the hall as we waited for the elevator to reach us. I watched her for a moment then said, "Ara, Natsuki must relax. My mother is staying with me and may be in the apartment now."

The elevator dinged open and Natsuki swooped inside, impatiently jabbed all the buttons on the console and tugged me to her. "Zuru? You talk too much." She growled before she kissed me.

Her mouth opened against mine, and I felt her tongue brush up against my upper lip. I moaned as it claimed my mouth, while her hands tugged at the button of my shirt. My own fingers found their way under her t-shirt, to feel the soft skin stretched over her marvelous abs. I grinned into our kiss when Natsuki shivered.

Natsuki broke away only to attack my neck. I tried to push myself into her but the elevator jolted to a stop causing the two of us to stumble into the wall. I gasped when the cold metal hit my exposed back.

The doors opened and Natsuki paused to punch the "close door" button with a huff, and then continued her exploration of my body with her mouth. She trailed open mouthed kisses across the rise of my breasts as her fingers stroked random patterns into my skin around my waist.

I sighed, thinking this was crazy. We were practically having sex in the elevator of all places. What if people saw us? I jumped at the thought. Natsuki felt so good, but I did not have sex in public places. My body was at war with my brain with Natsuki pushing my body into a frenzied high, but what little I was thinking was telling me to stop.

My hands found purchase in her hair, and I tugged her away from my chest. She slid back up to my lips and pressed me into the cool wall of the elevator. Puffs of air hit my cheek as she kissed her way around my face.

"Natsuki…" I struggled to get out, not surprised at the sultry tones of my voice. "Natsuki, we're in an elevator."

"So?" she asked against my neck.

"Well…I don't…do sex…" I gasped, while pushing her shoulder lightly.

I felt Natsuki's rumbling chuckle all the way to my core. "Well, you are now."

I stamped down on the waves of pleasure threating to overcome me, "Natsuki! I don't like sex in public areas."

Natsuki froze, her face coming back up from where it was buried in my breasts. How she got back down there was beyond my mental capacity at this point. "Really?" She asked, her eyes innocent but for the darkness of desire within them.

"Yes, I am sorry, but I just can't here. What if people see?"

As if to prove my point, the elevator shuddered to a stop, the doors opening to reveal a young college aged man. He gulped as he took us in, my shirt half undone, and my arms entwined around Natsuki's neck.

"Um…"

"Sorry, elevator's full." Natsuki snarled as the doors rumbled closed. My fingers flew to close my blouse, as the man was ogling my partially naked chest.

The man's arm shot in to keep them open. "Hey, um can I…"

Natsuki untangled herself from me and flew to the man, grabbing his jacket lapels. Shaking him a little, she hissed, "Don't even think about finishing that sentence asshole. Take the stairs, it's healthier." Before, shoving him out of the elevator and staring him down until the doors closed.

"Asshole." She repeated as she moved back to help me with my blouse.

I gave a shaky laugh. "That's why I do not like to have sex in public areas."

"Yeah, I get it. Sorry I tried to jump your bones." Natsuki didn't look apologetic at all.

I slapped her shoulder. "Try harder."

Natsuki pouted. "Not going to, then. Cause that was a whole lot of fun." She leaned in to give me a slow tender kiss, pulling me against her body with her strong arms.

When the doors opened to my floor, she stopped but grabbed me around the waist as I passed her and I was forced to walk with her plastered to my back.

"Natsuki is like a little lost puppy today." I commented lightly as we reached my door.

"Yeah, well Natsuki just got out of the pound, so please forgive her touchy feely ways for the day. She will be back scolding you for being too touchy feely tomorrow." She grumbled as her hands crawled under my shirt, distracting me from my quest to find my keys.

"She also needs to keep her hands out of my shirt." I said with a laugh but before I could find my elusive keys, the door swung open to reveal a grinning Nao.

"Well isn't it the horny dog and the slinky fox. Get your asses in here before I call the firemen to hose you off."

"It's good to be back, Nao. Did you miss me?" Natsuki asked sarcastically as she pulled away from me to enter the apartment.

"About as much as a yeast infection." Nao shot over her shoulder as she sauntered away.

"Ara, Nao-han, you shouldn't be so crass." My mother called from deeper inside.

"Sorry, mama Fujino."

Natsuki quirked an eyebrow at me.

Shrugging, I said, "Nao-chan isn't happy about working in your position."

Shaking her head she replied, "No, why did she apologize?"

I chuckled, "Mother and Nao-chan have kind of bonded. When she isn't with Kaito, Nao is here with Mother." I pulled her into the living room before she could reply. I am not sure why they have become so close, but I know it was a good thing for the both of them.

Mother stood from the armchair that she had quietly claimed for herself and walked over to Natsuki. "Welcome back, Natsuki-kun." She said as she hugged her.

Nao snorted. "I bet they were getting it on in the elevator."

I shot a glare at the redhead, while Natsuki went scarlet.

"Ohh, you dirty rotten horny bitches." Nao said gleefully.

Natsuki growled and took a menacing step towards her fiery friend. I was torn between allowing Natsuki to chase Nao around the apartment and stopping the mayhem before it started. Mother was looking between the lot of us with her hands on her hips.

"Natsuki! Go take a shower. Nao! Please get the tea ready. Shizuru, go get into something more comfortable. I have an announcement to make." We all froze, stunned at the orders that were given. Mother glared at us, her arms crossing under her chest. "Well? Get going! And don't you forget that I am going to have to talk to you, Natsuki-kun, about mauling my daughter in public."

Natsuki sputtered, "But, she usually mauls me!"

Mother's eyes glinted dangerously, "We've already discussed this, Natsuki-kun."

I put hand on my mother's shoulder as we watched Nao snicker and Natsuki cuff her over the top of the head. They jostled their way down the hall. "Mother, I am the more over exuberant one in most cases. Please do not be too harsh on her."

Mother softened a little. "An elevator. Really, Shizuru-chan."

I blushed at the tone of her voice. "We got a little carried away, I admit, but we normally don't do that. It was just a long time."

"Ara," Mother chuckled, "I do have to give Natsuki-kun a hard time, she is dating my wonderful daughter after all." She turned me around, "Now go on, this bit of news may just make your day."

Only a short time later, we were gathered in my living room, a tray of hot tea on the coffee table with Nao lying on her stomach on the couch, Natsuki and I curled together on the loveseat, and mother perched in her chair. We were all watching mother take a slow sip of her tea and set it daintily on the coffee table.

"Well, I think I figured out how to get Tomoe to stop using her little toy soldiers against Shizuru, and expose her as the stalker."

We all jumped up, talking at once. Mother waited until we calmed down enough to sit and watch. Natsuki sat on the arm of the loveseat and I place a hand on her thigh. Nao was sitting with her feet crossed.

Mother looked at all of us in turn then uttered, "Shu-dan stalking. It came up in a meeting of our plant managers, and I thought of the list Natsuki-kun had me give her. It is a term that is used for stalking that is done by an employer or employees against employees. We have training for this every year because it has been somewhat troublesome."

I raised a hand. "I understand the term is used more for companies who use shady methods to get unwanted employees to quit. I have not heard of it as a way to sabotage someone outside the company. At it is so rarely documented because it is so difficult to do so." I grimaced, thinking of the number of people who had committed suicide because of alleged Shu-dan stalking.

"Yes, that is true." Mother interjected, "But Tomoe does not have the money to hire the people I saw on TV. As I am sure you have surmised, Tomoe has a backer."

Nao shifted in her seat. "Yeah, but how can you prove its one of your many rivals? I mean the obvious choice would be the Marguerites, but are they direct competitors?

"Yeah, if there is no direct correlation, the court's going to eat this case alive and spit out the bones."

Mother blinked at us as Nao and I burst out into peals of laughter at Natsuki's colorful description. Natsuki colored. "What?"

I rubbed her knee. "Ara, Natsuki has such an interesting way of speaking. I am not sure if the Marguerites are still our top competitors, but the two families have always had a friendly rivalry."

Mother nodded, "Well, they have fallen off the pace a bit. A Canadian company is actually our top competitor. But the Marguerites have always loved their power here in Japan. If the heiress of Fujino Diamonds were to be involved in a scandal while the head of the company was campaigning, there is the risk that stock prices could go down. It is especially effective if the heiress is a socialite of some merit."

"They didn't think Shizuru would be so popular and well liked." Nao said through the knuckle of her finger. "But it's ridiculous to make Shizuru into a victim. Like, a celebrity who's stalked by a deranged person is just screaming for sympathy."

"Well, if it was up to me, I'd want to out flank her. Shizuru's too smart to fail to spot a single attacker, which is the reason for the elaborate gang stalking. And I would not want it to reach the media. She'd be isolated and confused, the hope is that she would slowly descend into a depression - then cause a scandal without anyone knowing. The question is whether Tomoe used security at the beginning or if she recruited people to do stuff for her. When we started, it felt like the people stalking her were ordinary, people she picked off the street." Natsuki mused.

"Yeah, I think she started using security personnel just before Kyoto. It could have been earlier, but that's when I noticed my tails losing me faster. But the security realized we were too much of a threat and began attacking us instead of working Shizuru over. By then, the media was aware of Shizuru's stalker, and it just made people love her more." Nao spoke up as she reached for the snacks Mother brought out with the tea.

"Are you saying you've scared off the majority the people stalking me? And that most of those people were potential proxies?" I asked incredulously. I simply thought Tomoe had slowed her activity down.

Natsuki and Nao nodded.

"You guys are amazing."

Nao pushed her hair behind her ear. "Well, most of them were easy for us to figure out. Once Aoi was able to calculate when and where they'd try something, it was almost stupidly simple. They didn't deviate all that much and when they did, Natsuki was there as a deterrent. She scared them off with just her presence."

Natsuki blushed. "Yeah, well, we didn't want to worry you with how many people were after you because most of them were creepy fuckers." She glanced at Mother, "Sorry."

"Ara, I do believe that's what their plan was, Natsuki-kun, but that fell apart when someone stupidly ordered them to attack you on live TV. That clip is still extremely popular online." Mother spoke up with amusement.

"Right, so how are we going to slow Tomoe down? If the reigns were pulled, that could explain her more desperate attempts to contact me. She could escalate further." I said, watching Natsuki out of the corner of my eye. She didn't look surprised at my little revelation, so I assumed she was told in some way.

"I kind of bought enough stock to become an elite member of the Marguerite's company." Mother said somewhat sheepishly.

"Mother!" I admonished. She must have spent a substantial amount of money for that.

"Okay, but why?" Nao asked with an impatient note in her voice.

Mother shrugged. "Well, all publicly owned companies must make their expenses available to their shareholders. So I bought stock then demanded that they show me their financials. Aoi-han and Chie-han are running through them now. They are surprisingly good at finding information. They've already spotted a number of anomalies."

Nao whistled. "Damn, you are scary."

"I don't even want to know what you could do with that information." Nastuki said with some admiration. "But, if Chie and Aoi find something to do with security that could give us enough probable cause to subpoena the security company whose guys were involved with that attack in December," She snaked and arm around my shoulders. "We could stop Tomoe in her tracks."

Mother held up her hand at Natsuki's excited tone. "You are correct, I spoke with my legal team about this and they said any good attorney could spin it into a Shu-dan stalking. The preverbal smoking gun is the incident in December. The lawyers were practically salivating with that evidence. However, Chie-han and Aoi-han have yet to find anything pertaining to us, so do not get your hopes up."

"Right," Nao said, "What are you going to do with any information you find?"

"Oh, you know the standard corporate manipulation." Mother said dismissively, as if she did this on a regular basis. Well, she was ruthless in the boardroom but this was different all together.

"Do you expect the Marguerites to just roll over, Mother?" I asked. The Marguerites, if I remember correctly, were very devoted to their only daughter.

"Well," she responded, "If they do not want an investigation into their company that could uncover some unsavory things, then I expect so, yes. Like I said before, we have already found some anomalies in their financials."

Natsuki stood up with a yawn. "As much as I want to continue to concoct this brilliantly devious plan, I am just about ready to pass out." She shot my mother a sheepish look.

"Ara, this is not my house, Natsuki-kun. I cannot dictate what my daughter does in hers." Mother said as she hurried to clean up the tea.

Nao had jumped up to help mother carry the heavy tray back to the kitchen, which was a surprise. Even more surprising was the grateful pat on the cheek Mother gave Nao and the immediate shy blush that rose up to Nao's cheek.

When I stood to give Mother a hug, she whispered, "Nao-han needs a mother."

I nodded my understanding. "I think it's wonderful. Nao-han is sweet, in her way. Thank you for understanding." I didn't just mean with Nao, but with our sleeping situation. I needed to have Natsuki back in my arms, but I suspected that Natsuki needed me more.

After we got changed into our pajamas - I in my silk shift, and Natsuki wearing her old t-shirt and shorts - Natsuki got into bed then tugged me on top of her. Her hands wandered the length of my back sending little delightful shivers down my spine. We were so close I could see little flecks of light green streaking their way through the dark forests of her irises, which danced in quiet happiness. Her lips were pulled back into a contented grin.

"God, you feel good Zuru. I think I'm gonna have to agree with you about the holding thing. Just having you in my arms feels right." She murmured.

I closed my eyes against the waves of pleasure the sound of her voice. "Mmhm. Tell me why Tomoe would threaten you while you were in jail."

Instantly, the light in her eyes snuffed out, and she scowled. "She is feeling more threatened by me than she ever was with Misaki." She sucked in a breath then let it out slowly in a hiss. "She knows I have feelings for you, but she hasn't figured out they are reciprocated."

I winced at the flat tone of her voice, feeling guilty at having brought it up. I brushed gentle fingers over Natsuki's brow, pushing strands of hair away from her face. "What did she do? Please, I know you do not like to tell me things because you believe it worries me. While I cannot deny it does worry me, what bothers me more is the burden you carry in keeping it from me. Tell me if the telling eases it a little."

She looked up at me, her hands smoothing my bangs away from my eyes. "You have a beautiful way with words, Zuru. I can't argue with that."

She moved to get up and I had to roll off her. Immediately, I missed her warmth as she rummaged through the things she brought with her from jail. Walking back over to the bed, she shoved an envelope at me.

I reached for it and quickly opened it. Inside was a picture of Natsuki holding me from behind as we spoke to the men in the _Kiyohime Café_. I flipped it over and gasped as I read the words on the back.

_If you touch her like this again, I will make sure she will disappear from your life for good. Do not be surprised if you wake up one morning and she isn't where you think she is. Just like mommy - T. _

"That little bitch!" I seethed, my urge to protect Natsuki flaring. "I cannot believe she found out about how you lost your mother." Tomoe was taunting Natsuki, along with frightening her. I set the picture on the nightstand, struggling to keep my tears in check. Natsuki was standing ramrod straight, her eyes wide with some emotion I couldn't decipher.

Reaching out I grasped her hand and gave it a little tug, "Natsuki, please come to bed. I am here. And I would never leave you," I soothed.

Wordlessly, she allowed me to get her under the covers, where she immediately latched on to me. "I had so many nightmares. But the worst was always about me falling asleep with you, and in the morning when I woke up, you weren't there. I'd call for you… but… but you never came back." She choked and buried her face into my neck, pulling me as close to her as she could. I hugged her closer. It was all I could do. Hearing her sound so soft and lost nearly broke my heart.

Not knowing what I else I could do, I began singing a lullaby. It was one my mother sang to me when I was younger and she was less busy. I sang through Natsuki's quiet sobs, feeling her slowly relax. Her breathing gradually deepened with just the occasional sniffle. How long I sang, I didn't know, but eventually I was reduced to humming every once a while. Natsuki nestled further into my body, and I covered us up as best I could.

There was a soft knocking at the door, and I called a soft "come in" in response.

Mother poked her head in, looking worried. "I heard you singing, Shizuru. Is everything okay?" She knew I rarely sang. Even though I loved singing and was told I have talent for it, I was often forced to sing at my parents' lavish dinner parties. It was yet another one of those things that made me feel like I was rolled out into the public for my parents' convenience and then put away once I had served my purpose. So I stopped. They never bothered to ask why.

I nodded and put a finger to my lips while continuing smoothing out Natsuki's hair. Mother smiled at the scene, which Nao would probably have said was sickly cute if Natsuki weren't in so much trouble. I looked down at Natsuki, whose head was pillowed on my chest and planted a soft kiss to her hair. She shifted and snuggled into me further, like a puppy trying to get more comfortable. I smiled at the image. I barely registered the soft click of the door shutting, so focused I was on Natsuki.

Tomoe had overstepped this time. Tormenting Natsuki in this way made me sick. Enough was enough. I refused to be her victim any longer, nor let her victimize those who are most precious to me. I refused to be frightened.

Natsuki wasn't going to be plagued by her nightmares any longer.

* * *

**So How'd I do? Have I mentioned you guys are awesome? I continue to be in awe of the impact my story has had! I am sorry for the extreme wait between chapters and I hope I can get the next one done sooner, rather than later. As always, I appreciate any constructive criticsim and of course praise is a huge motivator!**


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